La Grange Downtown Code Battle Nearing 2 Years

LA GRANGE, IL — Despite threats to the contrary, La Grange has yet to sue the owner of a downtown building over issues brought up by a renter.

Last year, the village notified owners and La Grange residents Cecilia and Michael Heiges that it would go to Cook County Circuit Court if they did not resolve the problems by a November deadline.

The two-story property is at 715 Hillgrove Ave. On the first floor is the Vision Fitness optometrist office. This is where Cecilia Heiges, an optometrist, worked before recently retiring.

On the second floor are two apartments, where one of the renters has filed complaints with the village.

In an interview Wednesday, the owners' attorney, Bernard Martin, said the situation is "winding down."

"My client has always tried to cooperate," he said.

In response to Patch's public records request last month, the village disclosed emails it had exchanged with the owners' lawyer since December. The battle involves the village's property maintenance code.

In notices going back to May 2020, the village has indicated, among other issues, mold on surfaces in the apartment, including behind the shower enclosure.

In a Dec. 21 email to the village, Martin said the work in the bathtub area had been scheduled the previous day.

"Although adequate notice was given to the tenant, she once again refused us access to the apartment," Martin said. "This can be verified through police records since the tenant called the police, who interacted with my client."

Martin said the owners have refrained from pursuing eviction because of courts' reluctance to pursue such measures during the pandemic.

"This is complicated further by the fact that the tenant has continued to pay her rent," Martin said. "However, given current circumstances, we will be serving her with a termination of her monthly tenancy by the end of December."

The tenant remains.

In a Jan. 3 memo to the village, Martin said the owners' contractor worked all day on the property repairs, but the contractor would need one more day to finish.

He provided further updates in January. On Jan. 26, he said his clients needed another day to finish up details.

Patch left a message Wednesday with the renter's attorney, Lauren Rozich.