“I don’t want to be in the business of paying for people to paint,” an official said.
BURR RIDGE, IL – A Burr Ridge panel on Wednesday rejected a shopping center’s request for up to $380,000 for what members termed as maintenance.
Representatives of the County Line Square shopping center said they wanted an unspecified portion of that money for tuckpointing, electrical upgrades and painting the center’s facade, with a contrasting white-and-black look.
Mike Garber, son of owners Margaret and Bob Garber, acknowledged the Economic Development Committee’s complaints about issues at the center. He said the complex needs a “whole host of things.”
“We’re going to update County Line Square, but it’ll take time,” Garber said. “With your help, it’ll be faster.”
The money would come from a 1 percent sales tax in the village’s business district, which consists of County Line Square, Village Center and the Marriott.
The money can be spent on a number of things to benefit the district itself, a major sales tax generator for the village.
During a meeting, committee member Russell Smith, who is also an elected village trustee, said he has heard many tenant complaints about the shopping center’s management.
“I don’t want to be in the business of paying for people to paint. That’s the cost of doing business,” he said.
He noted the village itself did not maintain Village Hall over the years, and now it plans to spend $6 million to build new offices.
Erica Polanco Webb agreed that some County Line Square tenants were unhappy with the owners’ performance.
“I would like to see you provide businesses something more than paint to make the area really vibrant,” she said.
Member Michael Simmons said maintenance should fall on the property owner.
“That’s my take on it as someone who is self-employed,” he said.
The village has criticized the shopping center before, with Mayor Gary Grasso sometimes leading the charge.
Parking is one issue that Garber addressed at the meeting.
“Parking has always been a problem,” he said. “I don’t know what we can do to fix that issue. We can’t put a parking structure up. We’re not going to do that, but that’s the only solution.”
Members unanimously recommended against giving the shopping center money for the work.
At the same meeting, the committee approved giving up to $600,000 to Brookhaven Market grocery store, a County Line Square tenant, for work that is nearly completed.
Store owner John Manos told the committee that his company has invested more in the Burr Ridge store than the other three, which are in Darien, Arlington Heights and Mokena.
The project featured such things as custom ceiling panels and custom lighting, he said. The work also included new refrigeration units, extensive floor replacement and restroom renovations.
“There are custom-made finishes that we feel reflect what the community deserves,” he said.
John Manos, owner of Brookhaven Market in Burr Ridge, tells the village’s Economic Development Committee on Wednesday that his company has invested more in the local store than the other three in the chain. (David Giuliani/Patch)
His request was for $671,000, half the project’s $1.3 million cost.
One of the sticking points was that the village only collects about $1,000 a year in business district sales taxes from the store. That’s because state law prevents such district taxes from applying to groceries.
The general 1 percent sales tax for groceries across the state is ending Jan. 1. Under state law, towns can institute such taxes after that. Most have, but not Burr Ridge.
Burr Ridge had until Wednesday to enact such a tax on Jan. 1. To start next July, the deadline is April 1.
Member Smith argued for imposing the tax if the store gets the business district’s money.
But the committee’s chairman, Tony Schiappa, also an elected trustee, urged the village to follow the state’s lead. He noted the state wanted to end taxes for necessities such as food. And he said residents are taxed enough already.
“For me, there is 50 cents of every dollar I earn that goes to taxes of some sort,” he said.