Mayor Alsberry Welcomes Calumet Country Club to the Village of Hazel Crest
Mayor Alsberry Welcomes Calumet Country Club to the Village of Hazel Crest (Hazel Crest, IL) — Mayor Vernard Alsberry and the Village of Hazel Crest on Tuesday voted unanimously to annex the Calumet Country Club property located at 175th St. and Dixie Hwy. “This is a great opportunity for the Southland,” said Mayor Alsberry. “We have been working hard to revitalize the village and this opportunity will allow for further investments in our community.” The proposed development of the land includes a number of businesses and amenities for the village and surrounding communities to enjoy.
Mayor Alsberry said that the village and the residents could see a lower tax bill by developing the village’s business base. “Cook County property taxes are based on business. If a village or city isn’t bringing in the tax revenue from businesses, then it’s the residents who suffer. We are seeing sky-high tax bills that are pushing people out. We want the village to be affordable for all our residents, and to do that, we need more economic investment and opportunity here.”
The village has been working hard to ensure that residents have a diverse community with more than just houses and empty storefronts. “We have a lot of amazing things happening here. Hazel Crest Proper is being transformed into a beautiful art district. We have turned the old fire station into an arts center. Our goal is to build a beautiful, diverse village, and we can benefit tremendously from the economic development that this project could bring,” Mayor Alsberry said. Some of the proposed projects for the land include more attractions, especially for young people, including a water park, restaurants, shopping, condominiums, a sports complex, walking trails, and a hotel, in addition to the warehouse development.
Furthermore, the development of the property could benefit the Southland as a whole. “Mayor Agpawa of Markham and Mayor Ford of Country Club Hills have expressed their support for the development. The development is also backed by the Chicago Southland Development Authority, the Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce, the Southland Black Chamber of Commerce and a number of others who also believe that the development can bring more economic opportunity to the Southland,” said Mayor Alsberry.
De’Andre Rucker, Southland Black Chamber of Commerce board member and owner of Rucker Holdings said, “I believe that Mayor Alsberry is doing a great job. A development like this can help bridge some of the disparities that exist in the African-American community. Bringing amenities that have long-since ignored the communities where black and brown people live is a breath of fresh air. I am excited to see what the development brings.”
Opponents of the project say that the development will bring unwanted truck traffic to the area, despite the fact that most of the streets surrounding the property do not allow for truck traffic. “All truck traffic must take a designated route. There is very direct access to the expressways from the property,” stated Mayor Alsberry. The village has already taken the steps to ensure that Dixie Hwy. would be expanded and widened to allow for more car and truck traffic. “I have opened discussions with the State of Illinois and the developer to make sure that we are addressing any traffic concerns.”
“I want to be clear,” said Mayor Alberry. “This development is something that we need to discuss as a community. We must have input before moving forward with any zoning requests and developments. The safety and betterment of my community is always my top priority.”
Mayor Alsberry Welcomes Calumet Country Club to the Village of Hazel Crest
alsberry is doing a great job if you consider he does whatever he wants and doesn’t ask the people of the village what they want. Great job, alsberry.