THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 2006
Farrell Upgrades On Way---Finally
By DWIGHT ESAU
Jounal Reporter
This is a tale about recent Park Ridge history, featuring the Manor Subdivision and Farrell Avenue.
It's all about a street improvement project that has taken 13 years to complete. Manor residents and the City of Park Ridge are giving new meaning to the phrase, "Taking your time to get it right."
Farrell from Potter Road eastward to Vernon Street, on the south edge of the Maine East High School property, will be resurfaced and curbs and gutters will be installed. But only after more than a decade of complex and sometimes controversial discussion.
The background: The Manor Subdivision, located immediately south of Maine East High School in far northeast Park Ridge, was a part of the city for decades. But in the late 1940s, returning GIs from World War II de-annexed the area, reportedly to avoid building code requirements for the construction of homes.
In the early '90s, a group of Manor area residents, including Rich DiPietro, president of the Manor Homeowners Association, began a campaign to re-annex the area, for all the usual reasons - better police and fire protection, improved utilities, etc. DiPietro played a major role in the project because Manor is in his second ward.
But there was opposition, mainly because of the cost involved (several thousand dollars per home). Eventually, residents in 305 homes voted by a 13-vote margin to annex in 1993.
Then began a dialog among the residents, the city, and Lutheran General Hospital about installing new sewers along Farrell Avenue and up-grading the roadway. Sewers were installed early in the process, but roadway improvement plans stalled. While some residents pushed for smooth roads with curbs, sidewalks, and gutters, others argued for a simple roadway only for a rural, country appearance.
To make a 13-year story a lot shorter, the discussions were conducted off and on, while Farrell became a heavily traveled arterial road and its condition deteriorated. Meanwhile, DiPietro was asked in 1995 by some of his neighbors to run for alderman, which he did successfully in 1995.
In the last three years, former interim mayor Michael MaRous and former Ald. John Benka revved up the discussions, along with DiPietro.
Agreements were reached late last year, and Monday night, Apr. 3, a $226,000 road construction contract was awarded to J.S. Riemer Inc. of Elgin for resurfacing and curbs and gutters. Lutheran General, which benefits from Farrell because it is a prime access route to and from the hospital, has agreed to contribute $305,000 toward the cost of the project.
"We anticipate this being done by June," said DiPietro this week. "We appreciate the support of Lutheran General, and most of the credit for this project now belongs to Benka and MaRous. Farrell is heavily traveled and is in terrible condition. This is long overdue."