Southland Development Authority representatives outlined a planned market study on the Calumet Country Club property, which has been at the center of a years-long development fight, at a community meeting in Thursday in Hazel Crest.
The goal is to determine the “highest and best use” for the property, said Felicia Hardy, president of Southland Development Authority.
“We want to know that it’s legally permissible, physically possible, financially feasible and maximally productive,” Hardy said.
Hardy said the hope is the study will be conducted in the next five months.
Some community members were disappointed the meeting did not focus on or answer questions regarding the property directly, instead focusing solely on the market study process.
The aging golf course is owned by Arizona developer Walt Brown, Jr., who has made multiple attempts since buying the property to redevelop it for industrial use. Those attempts have been met with sustained community opposition, first in Homewood and then in Hazel Crest.
The property was originally part of Homewood, but was detached following a settlement between Brown and the village. It was later annexed into neighboring Hazel Crest.
When the audience was given the opportunity to submit anonymous questions, some had to do with the specifics of the market study, but many instead conveyed concerns about any potential industrial redevelopment.
“Please don’t put industrial near residential,” the first question read.
“We residents don’t care about whether a corporation makes money,” another read. “We care about our home values, our children’s future, the environment, etc. All of which will be negatively impacted by an industrial development.”
Brown announced in November that all golf on the course would cease, and told the Daily Southtown he was in the process of applying for permits to begin tearing down the existing infrastructure and landscaping.
Golf groups have proposed a plan to revitalize the property as a golf course, in large part because it was designed by famous golf course architect Donald Ross.
When talking about aspects of the planned study, Hardy mentioned the transportation corridors running through the south suburbs as a boon to potential industrial development.
“The biggest assets of all of the Southland, which I’m so excited about, is our assets that we have, railways, highways, waterways,” Hardy said.
In response to a question about whether the community would be consulted, Hardy said it would be.
“When any proposal for projects are brought to the village, there’s community engagement,” Hardy said. “Generally there’s community sessions and more informational sessions, and so absolutely, we would be getting information from the community if we do anything as far as projects.”
Village Manager Dante Sawyer said it’s not yet certain who will conduct the market study, but said the village issued a request for proposals for the project and that a selection would be announced shortly.
Dean Barnett, president of the Hazel Crest School District 152 1/2 board, said he was in favor of economic development, but said he also understood concerns from nearby residents living about proposed industrial uses.
“Hazel Crest is land-locked, so with the addition of this parcel, there’s just a world of opportunity. I would hate to see it blown just as a result of trucking,” Barnett said. “They have to determine how it’s going to benefit the people.”
Barnett said he thought the market study was a good move, but that it should’ve been conducted earlier, rather than multiple years into the process.
“This is what they should’ve done before ever engaging with the developer,” Barnett said.
elewis@chicagotribune.com
