Medinah fights plans to demolish 150 homes for industrial park

`I won’t sell’ placards sprout in unincorporated community near O’Hare

Itasca Mayor Jeff Pruyn and lawn signs Medinah residents are using in protest against the plans (Itasca-First, Anna R via Change.org)
Itasca Mayor Jeff Pruynand lawn signs Medinah residents are using in protest against the plans (Itasca-First, Anna R via Change.org)

“I won’t sell” and “Save Medinah” placards are sprouting in the unincorporated village just west of O’Hare airport as residents gird to push back against plans to replace a 150-home subdivision with an industrial park.

Houston’s Transwestern Development, whose three similar projects in nearby Wood Dale include a 300,000-square-foot warehouse for a Japanese logistics company that replaced 30 homes, offered some residents $22,50 a square foot for the houses, the Daily Herald reported. Locals worry the project will spoil the village’s charm.

Christine Bending, whose home sits on more than an acre of land, would get about $1 million from Transwestern, says she isn’t going anywhere – especially after finally agreeing to a developer’s offer to buy her former house of 42 years on Bryn Mawr Ave. near Wood Dale. She sold the four-bedroom for $775,000 and moved into a three-bedroom in Medinah.

“It was everything that I wanted, and to have it taken away again?” she told the outlet. “God, I just — I don’t get it.”

One resident started an online petition to save the residents’ homes. It has more than 2,300 signatures as of Tuesday.

Sign Up for the undefined Newsletter

Part of Transwestern’s plans would involve annexing the area into the nearby village of Itasca, where Transwestern is scheduled to present its plans to the community development committee on June 28.

Itasca Mayor Jeff Pruyn issued a letter in response to the plans, saying no official decision had been made by the village.

“While there have been several discussions with staff, village officials, and the developer, Transwestern opted to first share its plans with Medinah area residents before presenting its concept plan to the Itasca Village Board,” he sold the outlet.

Read more

[DH] — Victoria Pruitt