Board Has 'Many Concerns' About Golf Property: Northbrook Village Prez

NORTHBROOK, IL — Last week, the DuPage Water Commission announced it has closed on the purchase of a 127-acre parcel in Northbrook, formerly known as Green Acres Golf Club. The move surprised some, including the Northbrook Village Board.

At its latest meeting Tuesday, Village President Kathryn Ciesla read a statement regarding the move, saying the Village Board wasn't aware of the purchase before it happened.

"Had the Village known about this land purchase before its closing, the Village Board would have made the Water Commission aware of its many concerns," Ciesla said. "Of course, Northbrook's local government does not have the authority to review, approve, or deny the private sale of property."

RELATED: DuPage Water Commission Buys Former Northbrook Golf Club

The DWC didn't release financial details of the deal, but Crain's Chicago Business is reporting the price tag as $80 million.

DWC called the acquisition a "critical step" for a possible future regional Lake Michigan source water project. The site at 916 Dundee Road is about 17 miles from DuPage County.

The property was owned by an investment group led by former David Kahnweiler, the former chief executive at Colliers Chicago. Kahnweiler's group had bought the property in 2018 for $9.8 million.

"Since the Green Acres Country Club closed in 2016, the Village has worked to ensure the proper redevelopment of this property," Ciesla said. "In the last eight years, the Village has held dozens of meetings, both public facing and internally with the property owner, potential developers, neighbors, residents and staff to move proposed projects forward."

Most recently, the Village Board had entered into a pre-development agreement with the former owners and the Cook County Forest Preserve to acquire the land for a public facility, the preservation of open space and the commercial development of a data center, according to Ciesla.

"This location is uniquely suited for our project, including ideal proximity to Lake Michigan, electric transmission facilities, and railroad and highway corridors," said James Zay, chairman of the DWC. "When we became aware that the property was available, we moved quickly to secure the site for the benefit of DuPage County residents and the larger suburban region."

Ciesla said the Village Board "looks forward" to meeting with the DWC "to understand its intentions in our community"

RELATED: Northbrook Park District Exploring Future Of Former Green Acres Property