Done Deal? Residents Fear Elmhurst Open Space May Be Sold
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ELMHURST, IL – Residents in an Elmhurst neighborhood fear the city’s plan for a new police station may mean the loss of green space near them.
Earlier this week, the City Council’s finance committee talked about ways to pay for the station, now expected to cost $48 million.
For the discussion, the city included a January 2023 memo for possible sales of city property to pay for projects.
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One of the sites is between Schiller and Third streets, at the end of Second Street and Elmhurst Avenue. It is the site of the old Elmhurst Hospital.
Along with the city’s acquisition of the property in the 1970s was a covenant that barred development for 50 years. That period ends in April 2025.
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According to the city, the property is expected to pull in $5 million to $6 million. It could be the site of up to a dozen houses, with values around $1.5 million each, the city said.
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For this week’s meeting, the city received letters from several residents opposing a sale.
Lisa Gerhold-Dirks, who lives on Elm Avenue, said she doesn’t live in the neighborhood in question. But she said she enjoys walking through it every few weeks.
“It’s a unique, quiet oasis with mature trees that cannot be replaced within our lifetimes,” Gerhold-Dirks said in an email to the city. “Benefits of trees and open space include absorption of stormwater, carbon dioxide, and sound, improved air quality, habitat for wildlife and increased property values.”
Stephanie Anderson, an Elmhurst Avenue resident, said she wanted to keep the land as green space, suggesting the park district take possession of it.
But she feared officials had already made up their minds. She said one of her neighbors was told by an alderman that the sale was a “done deal” and that the city couldn’t wait to sell it.
She did not identify the alderman in her statement.
On Sunday, Anderson emailed the mayor and all 14 aldermen about her concerns. She noted the reference to the sale being a done deal.
Alderwoman Emily Bastedo emailed back.
“This is definitely a long way from being a done deal, so I’m happy to report your source had bad information,” Bastedo said. “We will continue to explore options for the space and I look forward to a dialogue with residents.”
Neighbors have been outspoken in their opposition to a sale for nearly two years.
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