Developer who called Lake Zurich a 'disaster' returns
About two years after leaving a public meeting on a sour note, developer John Breugelmans has returned to the Lake Zurich village board with an idea for an apartment building.
Breugelmans attended a village board session Monday to pitch a plan to build the six-story apartment complex near railroad tracks east of Old Rand Road and off Route 22. Five of six trustees agreed the idea was viable enough that it could go before the advisory planning and zoning commission for a formal review at some point.
Under the plan, 100 to 120 apartment units would be constructed on the roughly 3-acre site owned by Greg Schwermer. Breugelmans said one- and two-bedroom apartments would be offered because that's what the market demands.
"In the apartment market today," Breugelmans told trustees, "we have experienced that very few families with children will come and live in an apartment building. Naturally, for family reasons, they prefer to have a single-family home with a (yard) around where the kids can play. In an apartment, it will be very difficult for the kids to have their normal life."
Lake Zurich officials said Breugelmans and Schwermer are interested in village contributions, including real estate tax abatements for two years, reduced water and sewer connection fees, and a transfer to them of a one-third acre of publicly owned land.
Responding to questions from the village board, Breugelmans said a market study will need to be done before he ultimately determines the incentives that he would require.
In October 2013, the Lake Zurich village board voted to reject Breugelmans' offer to pay $10 for public property downtown that cost taxpayers $3.6 million to purchase. He wanted to erect a four-story building with apartments and shops on roughly 2 acres overlooking the village's namesake lake.
At that meeting, Breugelmans called the Lake Zurich administration a "disaster."
Trustee Jeffrey Halen, who was against the latest apartment proposal entering the formal village review process, cited the 2013 episode in demanding an apology from Breugelmans at this week's meeting.
"Your behavior was you stormed out with inappropriate language toward the village," Halen told Breugelmans.
"I think you are mistaken," Breugelmans replied. "You take me for another person who used inappropriate language. That was not me."
On the same night two years ago, Schwermer yelled an obscenity at the village board and called the elected officials "idiots" after Breugelmans' $10 land offer was rejected. Breugelmans followed up by saying Schwermer was "speaking the right language."
Schwermer eventually joined Breugelmans at the microphone at Monday's meeting and spoke to the village board before the men departed.
"Just so you know, if you want an apology, that would have to be from me," Schwermer said. "I was the one who used that profanity or whatever. I do apologize to the board, but it is because of frustration."