Following months of deliberation, the Orland High School District 230 Board has decided to cancel its planned purchase of a property located at 10608 W. 163rd St. in Orland Park for $3 million. The board’s decision, made last week, was influenced by rising costs associated with the potential property acquisition, according to district officials.
The property was intended to serve as a new home for the district’s maintenance department, which currently operates from a house built in the 1960s that lacks essential utilities, including electricity, gas, and potable water. Jennifer Waterman, the district’s director of communications, initially indicated that other uses for the building were under consideration, such as office space or a training center.
During the 60-day due diligence period following a board vote in October, the district commissioned architects and engineering firms to conduct a cost analysis. The findings revealed that the expenses related to occupying the new facility were higher than expected. Waterman stated, “The costs of occupying the building for the building and maintenance department were higher than anticipated, and any future potential building plans would not be in the district’s best financial interests.”
The district’s Superintendent Robert Nolting had highlighted the need for improved facilities for the maintenance department as early as June, emphasizing that the district had been considering the property since October 2024. The board initially aimed to finance the acquisition through the sale of a 36-acre property on South 108th Avenue, which was appraised at $2.57 million. However, discussions on this sale were halted in September due to a lack of agreement.
There was a sense of urgency among some board members in June regarding the property acquisition. Board member Susan Dalton expressed concern that losing the 163rd Street property to another buyer would set the district back significantly in its search for suitable facilities. “If the district lost to another buyer, we are back to square one, and I think it could be a long time to find something that would actually work for us,” she cautioned at that time.
Nolting had also noted that the 163rd Street property could potentially support multiple district programs, including adult learning initiatives and alternatives for struggling students, which are currently costly. “We pay a lot of money for those programs, and we think we can capture that money back,” he said during the discussions.
Despite the benefits highlighted by Nolting and other proponents, board member Mohammed Jaber expressed hesitation regarding the immediate purchase. He pointed out that the expected sale price of $2.5 million for Willow Grove, based on a June appraisal, would not sufficiently fund the acquisition of the 163rd Street property. Jaber advocated for maximizing the sale price of Willow Grove to better facilitate future purchases, stating, “I feel like we need to show everyone that we have tried to squeeze as much money out of Willow Grove as possible.”
The Willow Grove property in question includes four structures—two warehouses, a storage building, and a residence—constructed between 1960 and 2006. The storage building received a “poor” condition rating in a previous appraisal, indicating it is in a state of disrepair, while other structures received fair and average ratings, deemed undesirable by Nolting.
Orland High School District 230 encompasses three high schools: Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park, Victor J. Andrew High School in Tinley Park, and Amos Alonzo Stagg High School in Palos Hills. The decision to cancel the property purchase reflects ongoing financial considerations as the district evaluates its facilities and programs.
