What is the status of the 111th and Cicero TIF ( Tax Increment Financing District) ?
KMART filed a lawsuit against the Village shortly after Board of Trustees approval. The lawsuit contends the site is not blighted and KMART is challenging the findings of a report by Kane, McKenna and Associates, the firm hired by the Village. New Village Manager Larry Deetjen oversaw the successful TIF that transformed the Grand Haven, Michigan waterfront during the 1980s and the award-winning oceanfront in Deerfield Beach during the late 1990s and turn of the century. Since arriving in August 2007, he has sought to encourage interest and eventual private investment in the site with linkage to the wonderful Stony Creek walkway and wildlife preserve. The Village Manager is excited about the level of interest and seeks private developers who will commit to quality and the creation of a special ambiance for Oak Lawn with its rich heritage and family tradition. Deetjen is hopeful that KMART will soon exhibit a spirit of cooperation rather than litigation that he has identified as a key tr
