Oak Park council approves tax-abatement for ice-manufacturing facility at former Forgotten Harvest site

Oak Park’s City Council on Dec. 1 approved an obsolete property rehabilitation exemption for 21800 Greenfield Road, clearing the way for owners Matthew and Brian Lucia to convert the former Forgotten Harvest building into an ice-manufacturing facility.

Director Kim Maroney told the council the exemption freezes property taxes on the building for up to 12 years to make the project financially viable. She said the assessor’s estimate of current taxes on the property is $165,093 per year and that the total value of the abatement over the 12‑year period will not exceed $300,000. "The obsolete property rehabilitation exemption allows them to get a tax abatement, which will freeze their taxes for a period of up to 12 years," Maroney said.

Owners Matthew and Brian Lucia described plans to invest roughly $12 million in the site and to create more than 70 jobs, with a preference for hiring Oak Park residents. "We're hoping to be open by May or June of this summer 2026," one owner said. They said the building’s existing freezer/cooler will be reused and that truck traffic to the adjacent neighborhood is expected to be lighter than prior distribution operations.

Mayor McClellan and other council members asked staff and the owners questions about timing, tax treatment and neighborhood impacts. Director Maroney confirmed the exemption does not apply to land and that the abatement is intended to help the developer obtain financing; she noted the city received no property tax revenue from the site in 2024 because it had been owned by a nonprofit.

Council member Radnor moved approval; Council member Stephanie Crawford seconded. The council approved the resolution by roll call. The measure freezes taxes on improvements for up to 12 years (capped $300,000); after the abatement period ends, taxes will be uncapped and the property will be taxed at the full assessed rate.

The owners and staff said the facility will produce consumer-sized bags of ice (7‑ and 20‑pound), explore airport business for 5‑pound bags, and may consider dry ice in the future but not during initial operations. The council did not receive requests for additional public testimony during the hearing.

Next steps: staff will finalize the abatement agreement and schedule implementation steps; the owners said they intend to begin construction immediately and pursue the May–June 2026 opening.