Boley Farm Demolition On The Table: Orland Village Board

ORLAND PARK, IL — The Orland Park village board is considering big changes for the town's Glenn B. Boley Farm. On Tuesday, the board discussed possible demolition and other changes that could come to the site.

The farm, located on 151st Street, west of 80th Avenue, is best known for its annual farm stand that offers fresh produce every summer, along with its historic buildings that are over 100 years old. It was purchased by the village in June 2001, and is 5.8 acres.

After concerns were brought up that structures on site may bring about potential safety hazards, a historic assessment and feasibility study were conducted. Following, scenarios recommended by the planning commission were presented to the village board to consider for the future of the property that would cost the village more than $1.3 million to stabilize the property, or the potential rehabilitation/removal of specific buildings.

After a presentation, the board recommended a rehabilitation plan that would salvage some remaining foundations. The plan is the least costly of the ones presented, estimated at $543,600, according to village documents.

The plan states that the ground barn, silo and milk house will be rehabilitated and remain to host farm stands. The granary will stay rather than the threshing barn, as it is in better kept condition. The hog house, farmhouse and garage will be removed, but historic materials left over will keep the property looking like a farm.

The wash house, privy, grain dryer enclosure, chicken coop and machine shed will all be demolished, according to the plan. Planned demolition costs total nearly $202,000, stabilization would be $10,000 and rehab efforts would cost almost $332,000.

Trustee Sean Kampas wanted to reassure residents that the property will continue to be used for open space and recreation purposes. He said the property has not been well-kept over the years, and that a master plan was never developed — adding that the farm suffered as a result.

"I believe previous administrations had good intentions in acquiring the property, but they failed to maintain it," Kampas said. "We’re now looking at needing pounds of cure for what might have been ounces of prevention in the past."

Voters narrowly approved of a referendum proposal in November 2000 for a $20 million bond to buy 300 acres of open space land. The Boley Farm was bought just eight months later. Mayor Keith Pekau said the village did not handle the purchase of the property the way he would have, had he been on the board when the deal was made, and that the purchase is frustrating. He said the village went on a "$20 million buying land spree."

"We didn't do any restoration, we didn't do any maintaining, we shoved that all on the taxpayers of the village. So not only did you give them a bond, you give them this big, giant fund called the village operating expenses where you just keep shoveling money at these things," Pekau said. "Unfortunately, as a board, 20 years after we bought it, we're stuck with this farm. It's not that we're stuck with a farm. It's just that we're stuck with 20 years of neglect on something that was already 140 years old. Do you think it got better in 20 years, or did it get exponentially worse? Because we did nothing."

The mayor went on to say that he doesn't want to keep neglecting the property by "not doing anything with it," adding that something should have been done sooner.

"We are stuck with what is left here, and what I’m not going to do — no matter how many people come and complain … I’m not going to spend two or $3 million of taxpayer money. I think that money is better given to our police department. It’s better given to our other parks," Pekau said. "We have to deal with the here and now and what the situation is today. I think the board has made a good decision here, which is that we are keeping it a farm, and we are keeping it open land. It does not make sense to try and save every single building on that farm."

The board unanimously voted to amend the planning commission's recommendation, and a finalized vote will be made at another meeting.

Stay Patched In!

• Check out the Events Calendar for what's going on in Orland Park
• Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest Orland Park news
• Like Orland Park Patch on Facebook
• Patch Mobile: Get app for iPhone and Android