Gas station will be first business at former Lyons Quarry

By Steve Metsch

A gas station will be the first business located on land that formerly was home to a quarry in Lyons.

It will be will be built on seven acres the village has sold to a developer, Mayor Christopher Getty said after the Feb. 6 board meeting.

The board unanimously approved a $2 million offer from Vequity Lyons Quarry 1 LLC.

“They also have the option to purchase the greater parcel,” Getty said.

Another 40 acres remain to be developed.

The former quarry site is bordered by First Avenue on the west, Plainfield Road and Ogden Avenue to the north, and the village hall on the east.

The gas station – which has not yet been named – will be built along the east side of First Avenue, north of 44th Street.

A traffic light that is now just south of 44th and First Avenue will be moved a bit north so motorists will be able to safely enter and exit the gas station property.

A detention pond will be south of the gas station.

“We’ve been looking at developing the quarry for quite some time now,” Getty said.

Fill has been dumped into the quarry and impacted for years with heavy machinery to make the land usable.

“Options start with a gas station development in the southwest section of the quarry. This area is ready for development,” Getty said.

A TIF reimbursement will be offered to the developer.

“I’m very happy,” Getty said of the sale.

“We’ve been very cautious, taking our time with development of the quarry. We’re going to continue to act in that fashion.

“It’s good that we’ve received strong interest in development of the quarry, and I think this will be a great start for the development as a whole,” Getty said.

In other business, the board approved a resolution to award the 2022 Fern Avenue Community Development Block Grant to J. Nardulli Concrete.

The amount paid to the Cicero-based company is to not exceed $366,810.

Nardulli will reconstruct Fern from Ogden Avenue to 40th Street. The project had been delayed “due to time constraints and weather” in 2023, Getty said.

The board also approved applying for more block grants from Cook County for future projects to be determined.

The board approved paying $410,000 for a house at 8708 Circle Drive in the Czech Terrace neighborhood.

“The house is currently occupied. Once they are ready to move, they’re next in line,” Getty said.

The house will eventually be torn down, as others have been.

The goal is to return the area to nature as the Czech Terrace neighborhood located north of Salt Creek and west of First Avenue is prone to severe flooding during heavy rains.

Lyons is reimbursed for each home purchased thanks to a $5.9 million grant from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District.

The board also approved paying $52,000 to Pellar Construction and $41,000 to Mica World Ltd., to build two bedrooms at the firehouse on Joliet Avenue.

Fire Chief Gordon Nord Jr., said, “Back when they built that building it was the Taj Mahal. It was great. But times change.”

Having two bedrooms will allow male and female firefighters to have separate accommodations. It’s needed because of staffing changes, Nord and Getty said. The price is fair, they agreed.

The village board’s next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 20.