YMCA CANCELS DEVELOPER CONTRACT AS LAND SALE LAWSUIT DRAGS ON

The deal is dead, leaving the future of the northeast corner of La Grange Road and Ogden Avenue, the adjoining Gordon Park and a pending lawsuit challenging the sale of public park land very uncertain.

The Greater La Grange Area YMCA announced Dec. 2 it has cancelled the contract for the proposed sale of its 4.3-acre property in downtown La Grange with Atlantic Realty Partners, refusing to negotiate with the developer for a reduced sale price.

One thing, however, is for certain, and that is the YMCA intends on tearing down the former Rich Port YMCA property -- to perhaps clear the land and make it more attractive for redevelopment -- but the question is when since no exact timeline has been set.

"We are currently considering a number of bids from contractors in the area," revealed YMCA spokesman Christopher Ganschow, "with the purpose of demolishing the building."

In recent weeks, Atlantic asked the YMCA to amend the contract: “to substantially reduce the price of the property citing the current economic downturn," stated Ganschow of the pact entered into some three years ago. A reply was arrived at on Dec. 1.

"To agree to this would deprive the YMCA of a substantial portion of the monies it must raise to fund a new La Grange area YMCA," he added. "The YMCA has refused to accept Atlantic's attempt to renegotiate the price and has cancelled the contract."

The 'bottom line," said Ganschow, is that in order to serve the best interests of the people in its service region, the YMCA "could not accept the (new) number that was on the table," adding, 'We're not talking about nickels and dimes here ... but a substantial amount."

Despite the setback, the YMCA board stated it intends "to continue to fulfill its mission" in the La Grange area by continuing to operate its facility on 31st Street in La Grange Park. Talks also continue with McCook and other nearby communities to build a new YMCA.

"We're going to keep our eyes and ears open to any suggestions ... from all quarters," he said. "We're maintaining communication with all communities until we can execute a transaction."

The contract cancellation will obviously impact resolution or continuation of the ongoing litigation over the proposed sale of a 2.82-acre slice of land in Gordon Park that was supposed to be part of the deal. The purchase would have paved the way for a retail/residential complex called La Grange Place where the shuttered Rich Port YMCA still stands, but it has been delayed for the past two years.

The next hearing, which was to address the Park District's petition attempting to conclude the issue, was to be heard in Cook County Circuit Court on Dec. 19.

Settlement talks in the lawsuit pitting longtime La Grange resident Orlando Coryell and the Park District of La Grange apparently took place after the last hearing held Nov. 19, to seemingly no avail. A settlement would mean an end to the two-year court battle.

But despite a proposed out-of-court settlement presented to the Park Board Nov. 12 by the La Grange Friends of the Parks, Park District commissioners were not budging as recent as Nov. 19. The board is scheduled to meet again Dec. 17.

The Friends, through the head of its legal team, La Grange attorney Tom Beyer, presented its proposals to all parties involved, a copy of which was obtained by http://www.onlagrange.com/.

The proposal would have resulted in the project approved in 2008 to be drastically reduced due to economic worries, to 236 from the originally proposed 306 apartments, to 18,000 square feet retail from the original 30,000 and a parking garage one-fourth smaller in size. Proposed row houses to be built on the park land were also nixed from the project.

The Friends state it would agree to the sale of one parcel of land of less than one acre east of the YMCA and leave the much-disputed Shawmut parcel dedicated as open space, with proceeds of that set aside for future parks.

'The Park District will only get some of the funds it seeks," wrote Beyer, "but some parkland will be preserved, the village of La Grange and its residents will see an eyesore removed and an increase in tax revenues and the YMCA will be able to get on with building its new facility."

However, after presenting its response and counterproposal privately and engaging in talks with objectors after court Nov. 19, the Park Board that night defended itself publicly at its regularly scheduled meeting.

Contending the district "is not opposed to settlement of this dispute," a lengthy statement read into the record at the last board meeting Nov. 19 by Mary Ellen Penicook rejected outright the proposal from the Friends and Beyer "removed from reality" with some points the district cannot satisfy by law and some decisions over which it has no control.

The 3-page message from district attorney Rob Bush called the Friends' Nov. 12 settlement offer "a step back" from the objector's previous proposal and added "it has become abundantly clear ... the purported desire of (Coryell and the Friends) these past months to settle was, and continues to be, a delay tactic."

Before ticking off a litany of reasons why it rejected the settlement offer, Bush's letter challenged the objectors to "commit to engaging in meaningful discussions that do not further waste the valuable time and resources" of the district and its residents.

The response to the eight-point proposal, in short, was that the district has no control over density, arguing that is between the developer, Atlantic Realty Partners, and the village; it rejects entering into an "illegal" contract with the objector that would commit it in perpetuity to an acquisition reserve in an amount greater than the total amount it would have earned from the transaction in the first place; it "cannot agree" to a demand that the Shawmut parcel be forever dedicated as open space because it is needed as an access for emergency vehicles and the effective use of the park; it cannot bind future boards from determining the highest and best of any park property; that a settlement should be incorporated in a written document and that objectors shall not be reimbursed for its costs since the entire effort of the "small group of objectors" continues even though residents did approve the property transaction by referenda.

Calling the Friends' proposal "unfair" and "one-sided" in favor of their wishes, it acquiesced to the sale of just one parcel -- comprised of a maintenance shed and asphalt parking area -- in Gordon Park upon ARP's agreement to limit its purchase to that parcel upon terms and conditions set by the district.

In exchange, however, Coryell must agree to dismiss (withdraw) his appeal and his objections to the sale and forgo objecting to any further proceedings in the matter.

Such a compromise would result in the district receiving more than $3 million less in revenue, the statement read, adding doing so would "end this tiresome and costly conflict" and allow the district and village 'to turn to more positive efforts."

Village, Landlord Sued Over Rejected Pawn Shop

The man who was stripped of his plans to open a controversial pawn shop in downtown La Grange after being granted a license to operate such a business in a vacant retail space at 71 S. La Grange Road earlier this year is suing the village, its elected officials and his landlord.

Andrew Grayson, who filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court's Law Division Oct. 30, had proposed operating All Star Jewelry and Loan in the space formerly occupied by Hollywood Video, now simply wants the money back which he invested.

"What he's looking for is some compensation for the amount of time he has expended in all of this," said Grayson's attorney, Daniel Rice, who added the suit is seeking the court division minimum "in excess of $50,000" even though that is "not really a meaningful amount" due to the fact his damages are, in a sense, continuing as long as he is denied the right to operate.

However, Grayson "is only seeking money at this point" and not the right to do business in La Grange, Rice said.

The suit, a copy of which was obtained by www.OnLaGrange.com, also seeks court costs and $15,470 from landlord John Brannen of Fifth Avenue Property Management, and its trustee, Oxford Bank, representing the unreturned security deposit and rent.

Rice said the suit clearly indicates it was his client's position the lease was contingent on operating a pawn shop, and when that didn't happen, he should have been reimbursed his deposit and rent.

Neither Brannen nor his firm could be reached for comment on the case.

Grayson, whose proposed pawn shop was eliminated by the Village Board as a new non-permitted use in the C-1 central business district on July 13 after controversy erupted over his being granted a business license by Community Development Director Patrick Benjamin, filed the suit only after unsuccessful talks to reach an out-of-court settlement. "But those (talks) fell through," said Rice.

The deal, which would have granted Grayson and Brannen an equal split of a proposed $250,000 settlement, was presented after it was clear Grayson would not be given permission to open the shop.

Grayson, a veteran U.S. Marine who had previously managed a pawn shop, contended he had already hired an architect to begin designs for the business and had invested a lot of time, money and reputation in the venture and needed to be compensated.

"The main problem," said Rice, "is they didn't address (Grayson's) time and effort" spent on setting up his business, adding Grayson "talked to (Benjamin) and he was assured there would be no problems."

The opposition to Grayson's proposal came not only from Zoning & Planning commissioners in recommending pawn shops be declared non-permitted uses, but from the La Grange Business Association and its former president, downtown restaurant owner Michael La Pidus -- who claimed the LGBA's stance was bolstered by hundreds of angry email writers.

At the same time the board banned pawn shops, it also declared other types of businesses, such as swimming pool and lumber sales, as non permitted uses in the same zoning district, actions Rice called "smoke and mirrors" to cover up its real intentions.

"I would regard those (other new non-permitted uses) as just a pretext, smoke and mirrors, just to make it appear they were making a sincere amendment to the ordinance.

"They indicated they had an ordinance on the books since '91 and since Grayson came along it needed a comprehensive overhaul," Rice further suggested. "I think that's just a pretext they came up with in order to knock out Grayson. They needed some cover."

After Grayson was ultimately rejected -- a day after he and his wife had a baby -- he expressed anger over the false public perceptions of his chosen industry and mostly the lack of "common courtesy" provided to him by a village whose officials initially embraced him.

"I had the courtesy of being told by other villages not to bother pursuing a license (in their communities)," he told www.OnLaGrange.com following the unanimous board vote in July. "That's why I'm so disappointed. I wasn't given the same courtesy here in La Grange."

While resident Melody Holt, who attended the meeting, decried the board vote as "business as usual," those who defended the ban said it was the right thing to do and "in keeping" with a community which has spent years trying to improve its image and attractiveness to upscale business interests.

MORE SAFETY ENHANCEMENTS ON 47TH

It's been nearly five months since residents packed into La Grange Village Hall in a resounding call for roadway and pedestrian safety improvements in response the May 18 death of Countryside mother Cari Cook, not just where she was killed by a passing motorist as she crossed 47th Street at 8th Avenue -- but throughout the village.

Almost immediately, the village launched studies of that stretch of state roadway, made additional handicapped-accessible curb cuts that aligned previously mismatched sidewalks on both sides of the street, threw up traffic safety bollards at key crossings and speed trailers in an effort to reduce speed and wake up careless drivers.

Though the village expressed its ultimate interest in taking over jurisdiction of 47th from East Avenue west to Willow Springs Road and eventually softening its four-lane grid into a lane in each direction with a center turn lane and enhanced parkways, the only gift the state has granted so far was to quickly reduce speed in the high-traffic corridor to 30 from 35 mph.

But on Oct. 26, the Village Board unanimously waived the formal bidding process and awarded a $28,060 construction contract to McCook-based Meade Electric for the installation of enhanced pedestrian crossing at 47th and 9th Avenue -- a block from where Cook died -- the first leg of a village wide strategy to improve pedestrian safety on state roadway corridors and a template for future possible upgrades elsewhere in town.

However, proposed improvements to the intersections of 52nd Street and La Grange Road and 47th and Waiola Avenue at Waiola Park still have to be given the green light by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Proposed improvements will include additional advanced warning signs, installing advanced warning "in-ground" lighted pavement markings and dual flashing signpost-mounted pedestrian-activated yellow beacons "to alert motorists (of pedestrians) crossing the roadway," according to Public Works Director Ryan Gillingham.

"It's the first intersection to receive improvements ... and there are other intersections we've targeted," said Gillingham, who noted the restriping of the road was also completed late last week and added all pedestrians will have to do is "push a button" to engage the yellow warning lights.

The description of the project was outlined at the behest of Trustee Mike Horvath, who suggested residents viewing the meeting on public-access LTTV need to learn about the project details since the contract was only briefly noted as part of a consensus omnibus agenda.

Trustees previously signed off on a contract with consultants KLOA Inc. to design the improvements and IDOT has already approved permits for the work based on submitted plans and specifications.

The board also agreed to purchase needed materials in advance from a firm called Traffic Control Protection, since some of them could take up to two months or more to be delivered. Those include illuminated pedestrian signs, flashing beacons, ground-mounted pavement flashers, pedestrian push buttons for 47th and 9th.

Although the company proposed installation of the ground-mounted pavement flashers in the amount of $11,575, village staff solicited quotes from both Meade and La Grange-based Lyons Pinner Electric, who have each installed the equipment on past projects. Yet while Pinner's $28,524 quote included a pavement marker installation for $1,510 cheaper than Meade, the base quote of Meade was nearly $2,000 less and the total nearly $500 less than Pinner.

In a related move, the board approved the launching enforcement of amended intersection sight distance ordinance requirements, which will give residents living on corners where vehicular and pedestrian sight lines of oncoming traffic are blurred or otherwise blocked from view by trees, shrubbery and fencing. The amended ordinance was also approved that night.

When Horvath asked how the edict will be communicated to residents and property owners, Village President Liz Asperger said it will be handled on a case-by-case basis, through both complaints and "basic outreach" by the Public Works Department.

Gillingham said residents are given 20 to 30 days to meet compliance and "make suggested modifications" to whatever is causing the obstructions on private property.

The code was last updated 13 years ago and was updated this time to establish consistency with the most current (2004) published guidelines of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials

The crux of the change in the code is that the prior code assumed vehicles in all directions must have the same intersection sight distance and does not factor in the presence of a stop sign into the sight area calculation, while the updated regulations assumes a motorist will stop at a stop sign and look in both directions before proceeding into the intersection.

Plus, the prior code mainly relied on whether a street was a local, collector or arterial route in determining the clear sight area.

TEEN PILOT SURVIVES PLANE CRASH

Police in Peoria, where 17-year-old Scott Hall of La Grange survived a fiery explosion of a small Piper Cherokee aircraft following a death-defying emergency landing on a usually busy city intersection last weekend, say they couldn't believe he was the pilot when he casually walked up and introduced himself at the crash site.

Perhaps it was luck or the teen's expertise at the controls, or perhaps it was some sort of divine intervention, but the Lyons Township High School senior not only miraculously walked away from the engulfed plane uninjured at 7 p.m. Oct. 17, but landed it 10 miles northeast of the nearest airport on a roadway a police spokesman said is typically congested with traffic.

"I'm a little bit stiff, but other than that, I'm not hurt," Hall told WBBM-AM on Oct. 18. "I truly believe it was a miracle that nobody was hurt."

Witnesses from a nearby service station and automobile dealership said when the plane dropped from the sky in the middle of the four-lane street, the pilot somehow also avoided power lines before skidding about 100 feet and immediately bursting into flames.

Hall, however, somehow escaped from the cockpit and walked away, then approached police and fire personnel shortly thereafter as they began looking for the pilot.

Neither he or his family were publicly commenting on the incident after the Federal Aviation Administration announced it was launching an investigation of the crash, but authorities said Hall, an experienced pilot, was a bit shaken up. The probe is not expected to conclude until mid-November at the earliest.


"He's not talking to anyone right now," his mother said Oct. 20.
Hall has been taking private flying lessons for the past two years and is working toward his commercial license. He was on a practice planned round trip solo flight from Chicago to Peoria and back when his engine failed or lost power some 4,000 feet in the air shortly after taking off back home from the General Wane A. Downing Peoria International Airport.

An aviation student at LT, Hall earned his pilot's license six months ago.

According to published witness reports, Hall's plane first clipped a light pole before touching down and crashing -- but not before he escaped out the plane's passenger door to safety.

Peoria Fire Department Division Chief Gary Van Voorhis said Hall declared a Mayday at 3,000 feet and was directed to the private, one-runway Mount Hawley Airport on the outskirts of town for an emergency landing, but could not make it.

Hall was transported to a nearby hospital for routine observation, but released soon after.

The plane, owned by an aviation company in St. Charles, was destroyed.

Father knows best

At the end of his junior year, Hall was the profile of a feature in the Graduation 2009 school newsletter ROAR.

The article stated Hall got an early start in aviation from his pilot father, John Hall.
Hall said he remembered sitting on his father's lap at the controls of a flight simulator as a child.
Hall also participated in a Young Eagles program through Aurora Airport, in which volunteer pilots such as himself take children on a brief flight and explain general aspects of aviation and the flight process.

At the time, he had earned a license to operate a single engine non-instrumentation plane, and expressed hopes of earning a ground instructor's license so he could teach at the airport.
As of this past spring, Hall was eyeing an education at Lewis University in Romeoville, known for its excellent aviation program, and a possible stint in the United States Air Force ROTC.

But if he enters as planned in the fall of 2010 following his graduation from LT, he is likely to enter as a sophomore because of the advanced credits he has earned through LT's aviation program.

2009 CHURCH WALK BENEFITS HUNGER

Parishioners of more than 20 area churches will be doing their part to raise awareness and donations in support of world hunger relief in an annual walk through La Grange and Western Springs this weekend.

The 26th Annual Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty Walk, scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18, will kickoff at First Presbyterian Church of La Grange, 150 S. Ashland Ave.

Walkers will step off at 1:45 p.m. -- rain or shine -- at First Presbyterian, then go south on Catherine, to Elm Avenue and down to Goodman Avenue in La Grange, then westbound to Howard Avenue in Western Springs and up to Burlington Avenue for a midpoint restroom break at Western Springs Baptist Church.

The walk will then continue down the south side of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad tracks to Gilbert Avenue, then back to Elm and up Catherine to the host church -- where an ice cream social will be held in the First Presbyterian Fellowship Hall.

Teams include walkers from Christian Reformed Church of Western Springs, Emmanuel Episcopal of La Grange, First Congregational Church of La Grange, First Presbyterian of La Grange, First UMC of La Grange, First UMC of Western Springs, Grace Lutheran of La Grange, Lyonsville Congregational Church in Indian Head Park, Presbyterian Church of Western Springs, St. Barbara in Brookfield, St. Cletus in La Grange, St. Francis Xavier in La Grange, St. John Lutheran, St. John of the Cross in Western Sprin8gs and Western Springs Baptist Church.

Since 1984, the walk has benefited Church World Services' world missions and six local food pantries to the tune of more than $520,000 in donations, by forming teams and seeking contributions both in-person and online. To date, the walk has raised more than $5,000 from online donors alone.

Last year, the walk attracted 274 participants and raised $31,260. This year, the goal is more than 300 walkers and $35,000 in pledges from walkers and local businesses which are serving as sponsors.

Walkers are allowed to bring dogs, as long as they are on leashes and the owners have pooper scoopers at hand.

With the donations it receives, Church World Services will fill the need for housing in New Orleans four years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the region and people in Northwest Pakistan displaced by fighting between Taliban insurgents and the Pakistan military.

While most of the money raised will be given to Church World Services, 25 percent of it will be equally divided between the area food pantries, at Lyonsville and St. Barbara's, as well as First Congregational Church of La Grange, St. Francis Xavier in La Grange, St. Cletus Roman Catholic Church in La Grange and Second Baptist Church, also in La Grange.

A prize giveaway will be held featuring gifts and gift certificates from local businesses such as Competitive Foot, Blueberry Hill, Kirschbaum's, Hillgrove Cellars, Casey's Market, Oberweis, Totally Bored and the La Grange Theater.

Individuals or groups can register for the walk or make donations at LaGrangeWesternSpringsCropWalk.org.

FIREHOUSE FUN FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES

As he twirled his tiny fingers around a long chain displaying the authentic-looking U.S. Army dog tag necklace he received from real Army Reserve soldiers at the annual La Grange Fire Department Open House last Saturday afternoon, Jamie Kelpsas excitedly ticked off all the fun things he did that day to the only member of the news media he knew.

Jamie, who met this reporter when he and his sister and Dad, Park Board Commissioner Tim Kelpsas, attended the Race Unity Rally inside Village Hall last month, broke from his father's grip and walked briskly across the grey firehouse floor to say hello.

Judging by the dog-eared stickers on his t-shirt, Jamie had already met Dak the police dog and been designated a Junior Police Officer. He also got to shoot water out of the big orange fire hose that snaked its way across Burlington Avenue and see all kinds of fire vehicles, equipment and uniformed personnel. But he apparently still did not enjoy his 15 seconds of fame.

If, in fact, telling your story here makes you famous among your kindergartner classmates neighborhood buddies and Mom or Grandma.

Jamie, who still insists he is "five years and four months" old, certainly had a good delivery and seemed prepared for the impromptu interview.

"I've learned fire people are important ... so nobody dies," he said, very matter-of-factly. "I got to shoot the hose to try and get the (faux) windows open and it felt good."

With a little encouragement from his father, who was now standing nearby, Jamie said he would call 911 in an emergency: so the police and firefighters can "put their clothes on" and respond, drive their fire engines and squad cars to the scene and "go in" to look for the fire, people and their pets "to try and save them." On their way to the call, he said everyone else must be aware and "move to the side."

If he had a fire at his house, Jamie said he would hope they'd rescue his family and pet fish nicknamed "Uncle Tom."

Jamie was just one of a few hundred kids who spent the morning and early afternoon with the firefighters, taking tours and climbing aboard firetrucks, as well as learning how to extinguish fires, contain a chemical leak, rescue someone pinned inside a car, rappel off a building, use a fire extinguisher, install a smoke detector and take care of their equipment.

Seven-year La Grange residents Sean and Anne Cahill were there for a second consecutive year, this time with their boys, 3-year-old Patrick and 1-year-old Liam. Dressed for the weather in matching wool jackets, their parents called them "fire station groupies" who really had fun spraying the hose to simulate breaking through windows to air out a room and provide access to and for fire victims.

So, too, was John Wagner, a 5-year La Grange resident, with his little ones, 2-1/2-year-old Henry -- who came ready for action in his complete firefighter gear his Dad said his son has been wearing since July -- and 7-year-old Jane, who seemed more enthusiastic the Open House gave her a chance to hang out with her girlfriends on a weekend.

"I have a birthday party today but we came here first," she said, referring to a friend's invite. Still, she added, "I went inside a couple of the vehicles. It was cool."

As for Henry, smiling widely in his black vinyl coat, hat and boots with bright yellow reflective detail, his father looked down and said, "He's the last thing we got; he's our future hope."

Practice burns were restricted on the street in front of the fire station this year, said Captain Dave Rapp, because the street was just recently blacktopped.

Informational literature and free samples were provided by the village's Fire and Police departments, the Park District and La Grange Adventist Hospital. Kids got free red plastic Fire Chief helmets just like the white one worn by the real chief, David Fleege and enjoyed free hot dogs, pop and popcorn served up by his administrative assistant, firefighters and their spouses.

Passing out pamphlets, pencils and helmets was 41-year veteran firefighter Captain Rick Griffin's wife of 35 years, Roberta, his best friend since their years at Hinsdale South High School and a regular volunteer at the event, with department administrative assistant Joan Sietz at her side.

"She's doing the fun stuff," said Roberta of Joan, who spent a good part of the day filling bags with popcorn.

Sietz, whose been with the department about 30 years, said she remembers when Open Houses to this magnitude first began some 25 years ago under then-chief Gerald Granat.

Asked what she liked about the Open House, she said definitely the youth.

"The kids and their enthusiasm," said Roberta, mother of three and grandmother to six. "I like the wide-eyed innocence about them."

Her husband, the son of a chief of the now-defunct Clarendon Heights (now part of Tri-state) Fire Protection District, started there as a cadet at age 14and became a full-fledged firefighter there four years later. He's been with La Grange for the past 27 years.

She described her husband's lifelong commitment to his career as not unlike the brotherhood that makes so many firefighters a close bunch and makes so many other folks like them so much.

"He has a lot of passion, a love for the job," she said. "It's in his fiber."

Rapp said it was amazing to him the number of families -- especially with older, pre-teen and young teen children -- that have been coming out. Those kids, he said, typically go but often begrudgingly and "dragging their head" to feign disinterest, he said.

Still, while the oldest boy of Catrina Domaika said he was having fun (her kids are 11, 10, 6 and 3), Mom thinks otherwise.

"They said they like it," she speculated, "but they don't want anyone to know."

TIE ONE ON: ALL THOSE RAILROAD ROCKS REALLY MEAN SOMETHING

This week's completion of a maintenance project along the two southernmost tracks of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad in downtown La Grange may have seemed routine, but as a result train commuters and engineers may now be enjoying a much calmer ride to and from the city.

So says BNSF spokesman Steve Forsberg, who took the time to tell us what those unique-looking, large-scale heavy equipment rail cars and varied work crews were actually doing on the tracks between Sept. 17 and 21 that caused so many passersby to stop and watch.

"(The project) should help give you a smoother train ride and provide a much safer ride for years to come and also help maintain track speed," he said, adding the weekend work doesn't change operations but rather likened it to a routine "repaving of a highway road."

Announced early last week, the project was billed as a "significant" railroad tie replacement program that would tie up grade crossings at Gilbert, Brainard, Kensington and Ashland avenues and La Grange Road.

That it did. But the project was more involved, and perhaps for railroad buffs, commuters and others, more interesting than that.

"It's definitely a neat thing," said Assistant Village Manager Andrianna Peterson. "They're replacing deteriorating railroad ties between here and the city ... and they're using some new equipment they've not used before."

It's not only the ties being replaced where needed, but the large white rocks in the fairly thick ballast rock bed beneath the rails and ties are also "reconditioned" at the same time, a process Forsberg said is technically called "regulated" and involves machines that remove and clean the ballast quarry rock with claw-like "pinchers" before shoving them back into the bed and under the ties in the same manner.

"It's a visual sight to behold," he added, noting while some of the rail machinery removes and replaces the steel spikes, others handle the ties, which are no longer kept on the side of the tracks for each project but inside the actual rail cars for easy reach.

"What we're doing is replacing part of the structure the rails sits on; the rail is very, very durable and can last forever," he said. "The machines clean the ballast ... which is there to create stabilization for the ties and help with water drainage (so ties don't rot as quickly). That's why ties last longer."

Forsberg says only pieces of the so-called "mechanized track gang" -- that large-scale row of aforementioned rail cars -- are new, but the technology is fascinating. Working all summer, piece by piece, between Aurora and Halsted Street in Chicago, train crews must work in well-oiled sequence and everyone has a task.

"The ties (being replaced) are kept on the rail cars and a mechanism feeds the ties as they are removed," said Forsberg, who noted the northernmost outbound track was done last year. "It's kind of like a rolling assembly line."

Forsberg says the railroad bed beneath the Aurora-to-Chicago tracks is pretty-well packed down after so many decades of use. The rail line was the very first in the region and was built in 1849. The train cars that used to run through here were upwards of 1 million pounds each, but today weigh only half that.

While the railroad tie and ballast work has since been completed and is now underway in Brookfield, Riverside and beyond, Metra has already started to replace concrete platforms east of the Burlington Avenue shelter across the tracks from the historic circa-1901 Stone Avenue station in La Grange.

Plans call to finish replacement of the entire platform outside the station and shelter in the spring -- or sooner.

As for the station itself, Phase I, or the preliminary conceptual design portion in conjunction with Oak Brook-based Legat Architects is "almost done," according to Peterson.

Next comes the final drawings for an estimated $3 million project that has already earned a $385,000 grant through the West Suburban Mass Transit District and may still qualify for some much-desired federal funds through the work of U.S. Rep. Daniel Lipinski, D-3rd District, of neighboring Western Springs.

The Village Board looked at several different concept designs for Stone Avenue station in February, she said, and provided extensive input. But before any designs are finalized, the public will have the opportunity to state its case as well.

"We have been working with Metra reviewing plans and making decisions and now that the platform work is going to proceed, we are making sure plans conform and match up with ours," she said, adding it may not be a good idea to work separately.

The station has long been in need of tuckppointing, soffit/fascia and roof work and has deteriorated over time, she said, noting renovations in recent decades has not been as historically sensitive as today's village leaders would have liked.

There are aluminum window panes, modern lighting and asphalt roofs, while it's likely the window panes and roofs were once wood and the lights were much less sophisticated.

"Because the village is involved as being a steward of the station, we believe it's important any renovations be done in an historically accurate way," said Peterson. "We want it to be a sensitive renovation. This building is going to stay as it is ... and will be even more beautiful than it is."

She said while some improvements are easier to plan out, much of the historical change will be carefully crafted in conjunction with the La Grange Area Historical Society.,

For one thing, accessibility to the disabled will be improved, as a ramp slapped on the side of the facility years ago may not even be appropriate with federal standards.

And although it's not a village decision BNSF is adamant about changing the grade of the pedestrian crossing mid-block for safety reasons and as a result the grade will be different when all is said and done.

"Still, our projects all need to be coordinated," she said.

The platform work will not likely be completed by the end of this fall, which means part of the work under construction will remain inaccessible to pedestrians during the winter months.

Bicycle facilities also will be upgraded, as will the former coffee shop inside the station. That hasn't been occupied by a retail tenant for a long time. Also, indoor seating will, hopefully, be maximized.