Journal Reporter

Park Ridge officials have been changing directions often in the Uptown redevelopment process, due to lawsuits by Charles Baldacchino, and now Summit Square Retirement Home.

Another last-minute change took place Monday night (Dec. 19), when aldermen approved a $3 million bond issue that will provide funds needed to close on the purchase of the Summit Mall property at Euclid Avenue and Northwest Highway.

The purchase normally would have been consummated with Joseph Freed and Associates on Jan. 5, using proceeds of the sale of city property to PRC Partners for phase III of the Uptown redevelopment at the former water reservoir site. But that money isn't available because the closing with PRC hasn't taken place, due to the lawsuit filed against the city by Summit Square Retirement Home. The closing still is scheduled for Jan. 5.

The $3 million bond issue will not cost city taxpayers anything, because it actually is a temporary loan that will be rolled over into the tax increment financing (TIF) funds being used to upgrade Uptown.

The city plans to convert the mall property into a surface parking lot for nearly 190 vehicles to expand Uptown parking for businesses and shoppers. The bond issue will pay for the purchase of the land from Freed and the cost of constructing the parking lot.

On the lawsuit front itself, city officials said Monday that negotiations for a possible out-of-court settlement with Summit Square hake not produced an agreement yet. "We're still talking, but we don't have an agreement yet," City Mgr. Tim Schuenke said Monday. "We probably won't get one until January, after the holidays."

Summit Square claims that it will be harmed by the city's proposals for traffic and a new stop-light signal at Summit and Touhy Avenues, next to the home's entrance. Mayor Howard Frimark, Schuenke, and Attorney Everette Hill have represented the city in talks with Summit Square representatives.

In a related development, Charles Baldacchino's appeal of an earlier dismissal of his lawsuit against the city regarding the redevelopment project was also dismissed last week by Judge William Siebel.