Lyons Township High School District 204’s latest attempt at a land sale in Willow Springs continues to inch forward with a newly-approved marketing plan that, in part, targets industrial developers as well as other potential buyers.
The plan is available on the district’s website and it lumps together six categories of “qualified buyers.” Some are home developers, others health-related and two are industrial, regional and national.
School District 204 has been trying to sell its 71-acre lot in Willow Springs for years, and faced significant community pushback to earlier attempts to sell the land to industrial developers. The property is bordered on two sides by residences and on another by a country club, and it’s not zoned for industrial use. Moreover, Willow Springs leaders have said they have no interest in rezoning the property.
Residents said this marketing strategy, courtesy of MoHall Commercial and Urban Development, is a waste of time. They said the plan seems to indicate the school district wants to attract a buyer nobody in the neighborhood wants to land that would be a challenge to develop.
“I think the issue, moving forward, is why would LT waste its time on buyers that aren’t good for their constituents and are prohibited by zoning,” asked Jim Distasio, who lives near the land. He said residents don’t want heavy industry next door and the property isn’t zoned for industry anyway.
LTHS Board President Tim Albores said the board hasn’t made any public decision about targeting any particular buyer. In short, it will entertain all offers.
“There has been no discussion by the board regarding specific buyers or preferred types of development, as those conversations are premature,” Albores wrote in an email. “Rather, the board relies on MoHall’s professional expertise, while using relevant market conditions, to assess the full universe of potential purchasers who may have an interest in purchasing the property.”
He said the board won’t pick a buyer until it sees the offers.
The sale could be incredibly lucrative for the district, which is facing aging buildings and the prospect of hefty price tags for repairs. Three years ago, the board set a minimum sale price of $55 million for the land. In 2023, Bridge Industrial, an industrial developer, offered that, while another industrial firm offered nearly $47 million.
Both of those bids fell through, and no other bids have been near as high.
Now, it appears, the district is again trying to court industrial buyers. And the land does offer considerable potential attraction for an industrial developer, with easy access to I-55 and I-294, a rail line and it is across the street from a UPS consolidation hub.
The marketing material notes the area is designated as the North Willow Springs Road Corridor Planned Development District is intended to be used for commercial, residential and/or senior housing.
Willow Springs village administrator Ryan Grace said the commercial use isn’t intended for industry, but for “a coffee shop or maybe a small restaurant or something.”
He said he has spoken with every elected leader in town and none were impressed with the marketing proposal and none seemed eager to rezone the land.
“I think they were surprised, shocked and really disappointed,” he said.
He added nobody from the School District has reached out to village officials.
Distasio said he would like the district to work together with the village and with residents. He said he wants the land sold — but to a buyer agreeable to everyone.
“If you work with the community, this sale could get done faster so the residents can have peace of mind and LT can do what they need to do to improve their campuses,” he said.
Jesse Wright is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
