Fall / Winter 2018 - Published December 2018

Letter from the Village Board

The winter season is upon us and the Orland Park community is abuzz with festive events, beautiful holiday decorations and plentiful options for shopping and dining.

We hope you will take a moment to enjoy one (or many) of the happenings around town and celebrate the holiday season here in Orland Park.

Thank you to those who were able to join us for the annual Village of Orland Park Veterans Day Ceremony at the civic center. It was wonderful to join the community in recognizing our heroes of today, as well as those of the past.

This year’s Holiday Festival and Tree Lighting Ceremony was very enjoyable, even though the weather did not cooperate. It was great to see so many people gather at the village center to celebrate the holiday season.

As we approach the new year, we can reflect upon all that has happened and the progress that has been made during the past year.

Chicago-based Structured Development was chosen as the developer for the Downtown Main Street Triangle. The firm will create a mixed-use development on the approximately nine acres of remaining parcels at the location.

Look for news regarding the progress of the property in the near future.

While we were sad to see local longtime retailer Carson’s close its doors in August, it allowed for new opportunities for Orland Park. High end retailer Von Maur will occupy the former Carson’s space while bringing in over $25 million in investments and 225 new jobs.

The new addition to the Orland Park business community wouldn’t have been possible without the cooperation between the village, Simon Properties, Von Maur, High School District 230 as well as Orland District 135, the Orland Fire Protection District and Orland Park Library District.

In addition to Von Maur, in 2019 the village will welcome Andy’s Frozen Custard, Rock and Brew and Hobby Lobby to Orland Park. The village continues to be a destination of choice for businesses looking to expand, start up or change locations.

Keep an eye out for more announcements of new businesses coming to the area.

If you have not had the opportunity to join us for a board meeting, know that you can always hear the audio recording on the village website at orlandpark.org and watch the live video broadcast on the village’s Facebook page at facebook.com/ VillageofOrlandPark.

The board has worked with village staff to reduce expenditures for the 2019 budget with as little impact to programs as possible.

The Village Board has considered the impact on residents with the discontinuance of PACE Bus Dial-a-Ride service and asked village staff to come up with alternative options. This has resulted in the village board decision to provide transportation services to those affected. Stay tuned for details of this new service.

The Public Works Department oversaw the installation of the new LED street lights, improving the quality, efficiency and aesthetics of the light on village roads.

The new roundabout at the corner of 147th Street and Ravinia Avenue is completed and open to traffic. The project, intended to prepare Ravinia Avenue for increased traffic flow, is 70 percent funded by federal grant.

As always, feel free to reach out with any questions and we look forward to partnering with you as we continue to foster our great community in Orland Park in 2019.

Sincerely,
Orland Park Village Board