Selling Elmhurst Parkland? An Official Brings It Up

ELMHURST, IL – An Elmhurst alderman asked Monday why the city excluded the sale of parkland to help pay for a new police station.

Alderman Jacob Hill said he was not advocating for the sale of the "green space" on the city's east side. But he said he was looking for ways to reduce the burden on property taxpayers.

He acknowledged his question was "unpopular." For much of the last two years, residents have spoken at meetings urging the city to keep the parkland as is.

Last month, the city's finance committee suggested selling the city's building at 180 Park Ave. for nearly $5 million as one of the ways to pay for the $48 million police station.

At a public safety committee meeting Monday, Hill said the parkland – which is between Schiller and Third streets at the end of Second Street and Elmhurst Avenue – was "directly relevant to the conversation."

"The choice not to include it seems somewhat arbitrary," Hill said. "I'm just trying to understand the finance committee's decision."

Mayor Scott Levin said the finance committee settled on the Park Avenue property because it's ready to sell.

"The green space was not there," he said, adding that there were unknowns.

Alderman Mike Brennan, who heads the public safety committee, said he understood Hill's question.

"We're far from deciding what we will do with the green space," Brennan said. "When we do decide, there are dollars associated with that."

In an email to Patch on Tuesday, Hill said he was trying to ask why the Park Avenue's sale, which has not been approved, is in the plan, but not the parkland. In many respects, similarities between the properties exist, he said.

"I'm not saying I'm for or against the sale of either, of course," Hill said. "Ideally, in my opinion, the finance document shouldn't have listed ANY assets to sell unless the sale was discussed and imminent. To list one property and forecast the use of the proceeds from a sale that might happen years (from now), gives an inaccurate picture to taxpayers."

In January 2023, officials drafted a memo listing real estate it could sell, including the green space.

That prompted eastside residents to go to city meetings, asking officials not to sell the parkland. They said the land provided benefits to Elmhurst.

The property is the site of the old Elmhurst Hospital, given to the city nearly a half-century ago. A 50-year agreement to bar development on the land ends in April.

The city has made no long-term promises to preserve the parkland.

According to the 2023 memo, the city could sell the land for $5 million to $6 million.

The memo identified the best use for the land as 10 to 12 single-family homes. They would likely be valued at $1.5 million each, the city said.