Buying Burr Ridge Village Hall Off Table: Pleasantdale

BURR RIDGE, IL – The Pleasantdale School District 107 board announced Wednesday night it was taking the option of buying Burr Ridge Village Hall off the table.

In an interview Thursday morning, Superintendent Dave Palzet said the idea did not have the board's full support.

He said the administration would have to return to the board to discuss ways to expand the district's preschool.

The district had said it wanted to provide greater early childhood opportunities by allowing for full-day preschool in the 40-year-old Village Hall building. For the last few years, the preschool has been half-day because the elementary school is cramped.

If the preschool had moved to Village Hall, that would have freed up space for fifth graders, who could move to the elementary school from the middle school, officials said.

"The issues still exist," Palzet said.

In January, Burr Ridge officials revealed Pleasantdale's interest in buying Village Hall.

The village is considering constructing a new building at the Village Center shopping center. It is unclear where that plan stands in light of the latest development.

In a statement to Patch on Thursday, Mayor Gary Grasso said he respected the school board’s decision.

"I thought it was a great opportunity for D107 and the Burr Ridge community to have a unique educational site," he said. "The Village is exploring other options and potential buyers that we had deferred to give D107 every opportunity."

Over the last 20 years, enrollment has been stable in Pleasantdale, with the number ranging from 806 to 855.

But officials project that enrollment will rise in the coming years.

The district was considering spending $12 million for buying and renovating Village Hall. According to a recent Pleasantdale mailer, the district would consider raising property taxes by $25 to $50 a year for a $500,000 house to help pay for the project.