Final project details frustrate Libertyville leaders

With three new restaurants operating, Manchester Square in downtown Libertyville has been an active place.

Village leaders appreciate the business, so to speak. But more than two years after construction of the $2 million building began, they remain uniformly irked the final details haven't been completed.

Several trustees vented that sentiment Tuesday in denying a request from owner Joe Tremont to extend the building permit for 90 days at no cost.

The original permit for the building at Lake Street and Milwaukee Avenue was issued in August 2007. According to village staff, two, 3-month, no-cost extensions were granted and a renewal was issued to allow the owner to complete the project by Feb. 1.

"The bottom line for me is we've been asking for this for months and staff has been bending over backward," Trustee Nick Proepper said early in what became a lengthy discussion. "Now, here we are."

According to information reported to the board, 73 of 136 remaining items had been completed as of Jan. 11. Bob O'Donnell, an attorney representing Tremont, said 22 more items had been completed since then, meaning nearly three quarters of the outstanding items have been addressed in the past three months.

Those include relatively minor things such as protecting exposed electrical wires to more involved items, like striping the parking lot.

"While I'm certain there's a degree of frustration ... certainly in the last 90 days, every effort has been made to complete the building," O'Donnell said.

Wanting to provide some incentive to finish, Mayor Terry Weppler suggested Tremont put $10,000 in escrow to be refunded if the work was done in 90 days.

"Our goal is to complete a project, not to punish," he said. "He can roll the dice. He can complete the items in 90 days and pay zero, or not complete the items and pay a penalty."

O'Donnell said there was "absolutely no reason why these items won't be done," and argued against any penalty.

"I don't think it makes much sense to put the $10,000 at risk," O'Donnell said.

Tremont could renew the permit for about $12,000 and have an entire year to finish.

"The motivating factor is ... there are a number of tenants and leases signed for that second floor space we want to get occupied as quickly as possible," O'Donnell said.

Tremont also could also apply for a new permit for the remaining work. That would be for one year and cost substantially less, but would require new plans and adherence to updated codes.