A giant new business and entertainment district is coming to downtown Orland Park, with more than 140,000 square feet of new restaurants and bars, retail, fitness and daycare centers and more.
Officials broke ground Thursday morning on the $120 million development in the southwest suburbs, according to a release. In addition to retail, it's set to include the expansion and renaming of local park Crescent Park to Heroes Park, which will serve as the "central hub" for the new downtown district with farmers markets, summer concerts, winter ice skating and a pedestrian walkway to come, according to organizers.
The area, referred to as "The Triangle," between LaGrange Road and the 143rd Street Metra station, is expected to be fully redeveloped and completed by the fall of 2027, a release said.
The project, a public-private partnership, originally started in 2004 after the village "undertook an ambitious effort" to develop a pedestrian-friendly downtown environment. The plan started with a $150 million investment, but stalled until a 2022 board meeting, when members approved a master plan for the district and selected a developer, the village said.
“I am thrilled we have agreed to this partnership with Edwards Realty Company to develop the Triangle, a project that began at the turn of the century," Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau said in a statement on the project site. "Being a local developer and Orland Park residents, Edwards Realty Company understands what will make this project successful in the eyes of our residents."
The development comes as other suburbs, including Aurora, Bloomingdale and Niles seek to revamp their once-bustling malls and other areas, with new restaurants, retail, entertainment spaces even apartment buildings.
Current renderings for the downtown Orland Park redevelopment, courtesy Edwards Realty Company, can be found below:
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