La Grange Developer Fights Back, Wants Big Hike In Bond

LA GRANGE, IL – A La Grange developer whose planned demolition of a local historic building has been delayed says his costs are escalating.

At issue is the Jackson Square antique mall building at 112 E. Burlington Ave. The developer wants to tear down the building and replace it with a four-story condo building.

In April, next-door neighbor Jonathan Robinson sued the developer and the village, seeking a temporary restraining order to stop the demolition.

The teardown had been set to start May 18, but a Cook County judge blocked it with a temporary restraining order.

Earlier this month, developer Dan Spain, who owns La Grange's The Elm restaurant, asked the judge to increase Robinson's bond to $2.5 million, from $5,000.

This will help cover losses that he said would end up exceeding $2.5 million.

The expenses, he said in court documents, include interest, payments, insurance and maintenance of the "dilapidated" building.

Also, Spain said the project would see increased labor and materials costs as a result of the delay.

He said he had planned to complete the demolition and get enough of the project done this year so that workers could do inside work during the winter. But he said that doesn't look possible now.

"As a result, construction may need to come to an effective standstill and ... carrying costs will only skyrocket," Spain said in the documents.

He described himself as a small developer.

"(T)his is my biggest project I have done to date, and I don't have the ability to continue to absorb these costs," Spain said. "This temporary restraining order is having a significant impact on me, my family and the people I employ."

In an email to Patch, Robinson, the next-door neighbor, said he and his wife, Kiersten Robinson, have started a crowdfunding campaign for support.

"We want to make sure the public is aware that these are the tactics the developer is resorting to," he said. "We are currently looking for small donors to be able to show the judge that we are not alone in seeing the problems with the village's process."

In his lawsuit, Robinson alleged the village's approval failed to adhere to minimal setbacks and loading space requirements.

He also contended the village failed to give him a "meaningful opportunity" to detail how the proposed 39-unit complex would pose hardships on his property.

In January, the Village Board voted unanimously for the teardown to make way for the condo complex. Many residents objected.