Campaign Issues

As residents and taxpayers of the Village of
Oak Lawn, we most definitely should…

 Dear Third District Resident,

            The pending sale of Cook School appears to bring to a close the most disheartening chapter in the storied history of this local landmark.  For many Oak Lawn residents who have been frustrated with more than a decade of ineffectiveness in developing a successful plan to preserve Cook School, this decision could be viewed as progress.  But at what cost?

The surprisingly swift decision by both the Park District and Village boards to sell Cook School without the opportunity for community meetings or input on the developer’s plan for the site is ill-advised.  Furthermore, the decision to convey control of the property to a private developer without first attempting to solicit bona-fide development proposals through a formal procurement process does not represent the best interests of the community.  Moreover, the Village Board’s decision to issue a demolition permit as a condition of the sale is premature considering that the buyer, Mid-America Investment & Development Company, is under no obligation to build anything in its place.    

While it is encouraging that Mid-America is interested in acquiring Cook School and potentially additional surrounding property, it is equally discouraging that the village has surrendered so much control over the fate of our community’s only nationally recognized landmark while admitting that very few details of the developer’s plan exist.  Given the success that other communities have achieved in integrating historically significant buildings into their local redevelopment schemes, the Oak Lawn Village Board has missed a great opportunity to include conditions in the transaction designed to encourage the developer to integrate the village’s most noteworthy landmark into their final redevelopment plan. 

To that end, would it not have been more prudent to approve the sale of the property contingent upon the submission of an acceptable redevelopment agreement?  Would it not have been more responsible to maintain the status quo by withholding the issuance of a demolition permit until after a redevelopment agreement is approved?  Had the village or the park district issued a request for proposals incorporating important and reasonable conditions, could Oak Lawn have retained more control over the fate of this landmark? 

It is particularly ironic that the decision to convey the building to a private entity makes available substantial tax incentives, including historic tax credits and conservation easements – tangible benefits to a potential purchaser that could make the preservation of Cook School a feasible alternative.  Given this, the adaptive reuse of Cook School as a component of a mixed retail/residential development is a realistic possibility that warrants further analysis, discussion and public input.  

We certainly must not slow the progress that has been made by the village over the last several years to revitalize and enhance the Heart of Oak Lawn.  However, in this case, progress and preservation need not be mutually exclusive objectives.  Until such time as a redevelopment plan that includes the incorporation of Cook School is submitted and publicly debated, the Village should not proceed with its sale. 

It is regrettable that we have already waited a decade.  Let’s not spend the next several decades regretting the needless loss of this important building.

Sincerely, 

Donald M. Biernacki
Candidate, 3^rd District Trustee

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