Backroom Dealings With Developer For Lyons Township High Land Sale

LA GRANGE, IL – For much of last year, Lyons Township High School's superintendent stayed in contact with a representative of an industrial developer.

Bridge Industrial is the international company that offered $65 million for what it thought was 80 acres of the school's land in Willow Springs. (It turned out to be 71.)

That offer arrived March 15, apparently unsolicited. In the months that followed, Michael Androwich, a principal of Rosemont-based Lee & Associates, a commercial real estate firm, kept in touch with Superintendent Brian Waterman.

In recent weeks, the plan to sell the land to an industrial developer has drawn the opposition of Willow Springs and neighboring Burr Ridge, as well as the local park and elementary school districts.

Androwich communicated with Waterman as a representative of Bridge Industrial.

In a brief interview Thursday, Androwich said, "I don't believe the deal is moving forward."

Asked to elaborate, Androwich said he was "not really involved at all." He said he played a role early on because he heard about the opportunity.

"Bridge was running that process without my involvement," he said.

Through a public records request, Patch obtained emails between Bridge and the high school from Jan. 1 to Dec. 1, 2022. All the communications on Bridge's side involved Androwich.

Androwich's opening email to Waterman noted a Lyons Township High School alumnus, Steve Groetsema, was a Bridge executive. Groetsema is a partner and chief operating officer with Bridge.

Androwich said Groetsema had monitored the school's Willow Springs land for years and "felt it was appropriate timing to open discussions on a potential acquisition."

Androwich forwarded an email that Groetsema had sent him about the school's land.

In that email, Groetsema wrote, "As you know, Bridge is incredibly excited about this opportunity and is motivated to work with the LT school board to find a creative and flexible solution for their potential land disposition. As an LT alumni, I would be personally excited to work on this project."

For the next several months, Waterman and Androwich exchanged emails planning when they could speak on the phone about the property. In April, they spoke about a coming face-to-face meeting.

In mid-September, Androwich emailed Waterman, congratulating the superintendent on the school's win in football over Hinsdale Central High School.

He then asked for a face-to-face meeting "to go over a couple similar case studies Steve had mentioned he has worked on." It was uncertain whether he was referring to Groetsema.

"Let me know if this would be of interest and if there is a good day and time for coffee, breakfast, lunch," Androwich said. "We can make ourselves available anytime that works for you."

Responding the next day, Waterman suggested touching base after his discussion with the school board, which was set to meet in a few days. He said he would then let Androwich know where the board stood.

Waterman was likely referring to the board's planned closed session. Last week, the board revealed it discussed the land in such meetings. But Patch found the board failed to assert the exception under the state's open meetings law to close the doors, which the law requires it to do.

On Nov. 30, the board announced in a statement that it was interested in the possibility of selling the Willow Springs land. It said nothing about Bridge's earlier offer and Waterman's months-long communications with the company.

Androwich's last email to Waterman before the announcement was Nov. 21, according to school records.

Androwich referred to an email attachment, which the school did not provide to Patch, and wrote, "This leaves the most desirable site left for an industrial development."

"Not sure if you want to mention to the park district or not, but I am sure Bridge could help with stormwater detention if needed as they will have plenty," Androwich said.

He was referring to Pleasant Dale Park District, which owns seven acres that are surrounded on three sides by the school's Willow Springs property.

The park district indicated recently it knew nothing about the behind-the-scenes discussions until the Nov. 30 announcement. (The board said it informed local entities, including Pleasant Dale.)

Waterman and Groetsema did not return messages for comment left on Thursday morning.

The land in question is zoned for single-family residential, small retailers and senior living complexes. Willow Springs officials have vowed to keep it that way.

At a recent meeting, the school board's lawyer indicated it had other remedies if the village failed to approve a change to the property's zoning. He did not indicate what those remedies were.

The board set the land's minimum price at $55 million, though it is unclear where it got that number. The school hired an appraiser, who assessed the property at $68 million for industrial uses. But the appraiser wrongly based his number on 80 acres.

When the school opened bids last month, Bridge was the top bidder at $55 million. The other bidder, San Francisco-based Prologis, followed at $46.5 million.