Oak Park’s economic vitality office’s new look staff will have a new office space to match.
The village board approved a lease for office space at 1010 Lake St. in Downtown Oak Park via the consent agenda at its meeting Tuesday, Aug. 5. The new 1,737 square foot space will be home to the village’s Office of Economic Vitality. Staff with economic vitality titles had previously been housed at the village hall on Madison Street.
The village has agreed to pay $57,321 in annual rent for the space, or about $4,777 a month, according to village documents.
Village staff recommended the move because it would give the office a dedicated space conveniently situated in the heart of Downtown Oak Park. Other tenants at 1010 Lake St. include the Downtown Oak Park Business Alliance and the Explore Oak Park and Beyond tourism bureau, according to the property management company’s website.
“Magnificently perched upon Chicago’s famed Lake Street, 1010 Lake Street offers the best in urban and suburban life, brimming with stunning 360° views, personalized concierge service and thrilling new amenities to become the most desired business address in Downtown Oak Park,” the management company said of the space.
The move comes after Oak Park has worked to revamp its economic vitality staff after a period of considerable turmoil.
In June, Oak Park announced it had hired John Melaniphy as assistant village manager for economic vitality to run the newly formalized office. Melaniphy most recently served as director of economic development for northwest suburban Niles and has decades of commercial development experience.
At Aug. 5’s board meeting, the village board was also introduced to newly hired Oak Park economic vitality administrator Michael Mertes. Mertes had previously spent 12 years working for Arlington Heights in a business development role.
“I am very eager to move forward your vision for economic vitality in this community, and also to work for the 1,700+ businesses in this community,” he said at the meeting.
These personnel moves followed the resignation of Emily Egan, the top economic development staffer, and the firing of former economic vitality administrator Brandon Crawford earlier this year.