LANSING, Ill. (June 7, 2024) – The Lansing Village Board of Trustees met on Tuesday, June 4 to discuss and vote on village business, including Ozinga’s interest in office space at the Lansing Municipal Airport, Napleton Kia’s plans for the former Best Buy property, and South Suburban College’s new recycling center.
Ozinga Bros. at the Lansing Airport
The office building located at 3250 Bob Malkas Drive was once the home of Pyramid Alarm before it became the administrative offices of the Lansing Muncipal Airport. Now, concrete giant Ozinga Bros. has taken steps toward using the building as an office.
The building is located a few hundred feet east off of Burnham Avenue, within the border of Lansing’s airport. The location was attractive to Ozinga because the company recently purchased a propeller plane for regional transportation. A private hangar space also recently became available at the airport, which Ozinga hopes to use.
Greg Vander Velde, the Vice President of Strategic Development at Ozinga, told the Board on Tuesday, “Aviation is an important tool for us to be connecting with employees, as well as customers. … We had considered a number of different airports, and we found a real good fit here in Lansing.”
Village Administrator Dan Podgorski said the airport staff will ultimately return to their original offices, which are located under Lynnie Que’s on the north end of the airport. Staff will be co-located with Ozinga for six months as the transition takes place.
Village Attorney Matt Welch said some of the “legalese” was still being worked out in a final agreement, including issues of capital expansion, insurance, and indemnity. Welch said Ozinga will pay the Village $54,000 per year to use the facility.
“We’re happy to see how this works out, and if all goes well, I know the Village of Lansing will benefit directly,” Trustee Jerry Zeldenrust said.
Napleton Kia and movement on the former Best Buy site
The Board considered a trio of agenda items at the Committee of the Whole meeting, all aimed at paving the way for Napleton to construct a new Kia dealership at the site of the former Best Buy, located at 17151 Torrence Avenue.
Three years ago, the Board authorized the sale of the property to Napleton, who has since announced that it will be moving its Kia dealership from Calumet City to a newly constructed dealership in Lansing.
“We’re going to be relocating it — it will probably be twice the size,” said Rick Bradstatter, Director of Real Estate for the Napleton Auto Group. “K&G [Fashion Superstore] will continue to operate, we have a lease with them.”
The three items on the agenda Tuesday were an amendment to an access, maintenance, and indemnity agreement; an inducement resolution for redevelopment costs; and a tax increment financing proposal engagement letter and feasibility study. Trustees will vote on these items at a future board meeting.
Podgorski said, “When it comes to development, car dealerships are like blue chip stocks. We love having car dealerships. They’re clean, they’re high selling points and that generates a lot of good sales tax for the municipality.”
CHaRM at South Suburban College
The Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) debuted at South Suburban College last summer. On Tuesday night, representatives came before the Board’s Committee of the Whole to share future plans for the site, which include a new building that will be able to accept gasoline, lightbulbs, batteries, medications, and more.
The current center, which is located on the north end of South Suburban College’s main campus at 15800 South State Street in South Holland, can accept standard recycling materials (cardboard, paper, metal cans, glass jars), as well as styrofoam, clothing, and electronics.
CHaRM has designated June 22 as a special “Village of Lansing Recycling Day” from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and residents are invited to bring their hard-to-recycle materials during that time.
For more information on CHaRM, visit ssc.edu/charm.
Other Village Board notables
- The Village Board formally recognized the hiring of eight new firefighter/paramedics: Bryce Czepinski, Rafael Gonzalez, Sean Petreikis, Connor Williams, Bradley Biegel, David Bultema, Andrew Hulsey, and Grace Stahnke.
- The Lansing Association for Community Events (LACE) presented checks to the Lansing Police and Fire Departments.
- A public commenter asked if an ordinance limiting loud music after 10 p.m. might be moved up an hour or two. He also expressed concerns about speeding on Paxton Avenue.
- Mayor Patty Eidam introduced two appointees she hopes the trustees will approve at a future meeting. Eidam is appointing Peter Grutzius to the Enhanced 911 Commission, and Eugina Cutler to the Planning & Zoning Board of Appeals. “The resumes I have before me, and that I gave to the trustees, are most impressive,” Eidam said.
- The Board heard from Finance Director Brian Hanigan as he walked the board through the first reading of the Financial Year 2025 budget.
- Village Engineer Jeff Pintar previewed the streets that would be part of the 2024 Pavement Management Program.
Related
- Is your street on the list for the 2024 Pavement Management Program? (June 6, 2024)
- Construction updates, fixing streets, village finances – a Village Board summary (May 24, 2024)
- Ridge Road and Bernice Road will be resurfaced this summer (April 25, 2024)
