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Land swap clears way for new public park, flood-relief effort in Mundelein

A land swap that paves the way for Mundelein to build a public park on the site of an abandoned guitar factory was approved by the village board Monday night.

Trustees agreed to purchase 12 acres of the former U.S. Music Corp. property at 444 E. Courtland St. for a mere $10. The entire site is 16 acres.

The village also intends to create a large stormwater detention pond on the 12 acres to help relieve flooding in that part of town, which is on the south side of the downtown area.

The land's current owner, a corporation called SB Mundelein Station, will keep 4 acres there to build 86 townhouses north of the proposed park, documents indicate.

As part of the deal, SB Mundelein Station will purchase nearby village-owned land at 440 E. Crystal St. that's now occupied by Mundelein's public works and engineering headquarters. It, too, will cost only $10.

The developers want to turn the nearly 7-acre public works site into a two-building apartment complex. That'll happen once construction of a new $23 million public works facility at 801 Allanson Road is completed later this year.

Under the deal, Mundelein will lease the Crystal Street property for $1 until crews move into the new public works and engineering facility, documents indicate.

The townhouses and the apartments will be known as the Mundelein Station development, documents indicate. The properties are less than one mile from the village's Metra train station.

The village board unanimously approved the deal during a meeting held remotely because of the COVID-19 crisis and the statewide stay-at-home order.

Mayor Steve Lentz was among the officials who celebrated the pact Monday.

"It's huge for our community," he said.

The 13,000-square-foot U.S. Music factory has stood vacant since the company moved to Buffalo Grove about a decade ago.

The building will be torn down to make way for the park and pond.

Gateways, a promenade, a plaza with seating, paths and a performance stage are among the planned elements. Officials estimate construction will cost about $1.5 million.

The pond will be part of a $10 million flood-control project developed after a July 2017 rainstorm caused catastrophic damage in the neighborhood, known as Western Slope.

Village officials have until Oct. 31 to close on the Courtland Street land purchase, documents indicate. They can, however, demolish the structures there before the closing.

To that end, the board on Monday agreed to hire Milburn Demolition and Dismantling to raze the old guitar factory building. That job will cost taxpayers $261,400 and could start in June.

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Plans for park on site of former guitar factory progressing in Mundelein

A developer wants to build an apartment complex at 440 E. Crystal St., on land where Mundelein's public works and engineering headquarters now stands. Courtesy of Mundelein
  Mundelein officials plan to build a park on the site of the former U.S. Music factory on Courtland Street, shown here earlier this year. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  Mundelein officials are selling the land on Crystal Street that's now occupied by the village's public works and engineering facility. Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com, 2018
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