Tinley Park officials demand State take action at abandoned Mental Health Center site
Tinley Park officials demand State take action at abandoned Mental Health Center site
Tinley Park Mayor Michael Glotz addresses reporters during a press conference Thursday, May 20, held near the abandoned site of the Tinley Park Mental Health Center. Glotz and other Tinley Park officials held the press conference to demand that the State of Illinois take action by either cleaning up the vacant property or selling it. JON DEPAOLIS/RICHARD FREE PRESS
By Jon DePaolis
TINLEY PARK, Ill. – For new Mayor Michael Glotz, enough is enough when it comes to the current state of the Tinley Park Mental Health Center.
Glotz and other Tinley Park officials held a press conference Thursday, May 20, to call on the State of Illinois and government agencies to either sell the property or take measures to remediate the site.
The call to action comes after a water main break occurred on the site earlier this month and spilled a reported 2 million gallons of water onto what Glotz calls “contaminated soil” and into the nearby storm sewer.
“We called you here today because the State of Illinois, Central Management Services, and our district’s state senator have failed when it comes to helping the residents of Tinley Park,” Glotz said. “In the 583 days since the State sent a letter to the Village informing us they no longer wished to sell us the property at that time, effectively killing a $450 million-dollar project and economic engine that the southland desperately needs, we have attempted over and over again to get someone – anyone – at the State to talk to us. That letter was the culmination of what reeks like political ping pong and is all too often the case when politics are put above doing what is right.”
Glotz said a video taken earlier this month at the Mental Health Center site showed rusting equipment, collapsed structures, broken windows, oil drums and other hazardous materials.
“But it’s even worse than that,” Glotz said. “In 2014, Tetra Tech did an environmental study and confirmed what we were afraid of – there are many environmental hazards on the site, including asbestos and black mold. These contaminants are leaked into the water system every time the underground tunnels flood, which they often do.
“To put it in perspective, it will likely cost roughly $15 million to get the site into development-ready condition.”
Glotz also referenced the May 6 water leak and noted that the storm sewer that the water leaked into discharges into the union drainage ditch, flowing to Hickory Creek and then to the Des Plaines, Illinois and Mississippi rivers.
He also claimed he has tried contacting State Sen. Michael Hastings many times but received no response.
“I have sent him 13 unanswered emails over the past few weeks,” Glotz said.
He also said Tinley Park has reached out “countless times” to state agencies, Gov. J.B. Pritzker, and the state and federal Environmental Protection Agency.
“This abandoned site is the first thing you see when entering Tinley Park from I-80,” Glotz said. “It is not only an eyesore; it is posing a health and safety risk to our citizens and likely to the residents of the surrounding communities. I’m completely and utterly outraged at the lack of response and action from the State. This is unacceptable. It’s unfair and inexcusable that the residents of Tinley Park are forced to live with awful sites in the middle of their community.
“The Village of Tinley Park demands that the State take immediate action to address these numerous environmental hazards. We want the State to either bring it up to code or sell the property to be cleaned up.
“It is only a matter of time until something worse happens on this site. This is total management failure. Illinois residents should be enraged at this reckless conduct from this administration. We are supposed to be working together as a State and Village, not as individuals.”
FOR MORE ON THIS STORY, INCLUDING INFORMATION ABOUT THE WATER MAIN LEAK AND THE HISTORY OF THE SITE, CHECK OUT THIS SUNDAY’S EDITION OF RICHARD FREE PRESS.