Forest Park council pauses bike-path IGA, opens door to Altenheim buffer sale and market test

The Forest Park Village Council on Aug. 25 directed staff to close out its current Invest in Cook intergovernmental agreement for a proposed bike path and to explore reapplying with a redesigned alignment — likely on the west side of the village-owned Altenheim property — while starting work on a market solicitation for development of the site.

The decision followed public comments urging caution about overbuilding and protecting open space. "Let's not overbuild or have no building," resident Thomas Koviak told the council during public comment, urging consideration of the village’s broader fiscal liabilities before disposing of land. Several other residents raised parking and financial concerns, and one speaker asked the council to preserve green space.

Why it matters: the Altenheim parcel is a multi-acre site the village acquired in the early 2000s. Staff said the Invest in Cook grant originally funded design work and that the grant agreement expires Dec. 31; the village has already invested roughly $75,000 in the project. Officials warned that construction costs have risen roughly 30% compared with five years ago, complicating efforts to…