Aldermen Approve Land Purchase at Chicago Executive Airport
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Aldermen Approve Land Purchase at Chicago Executive Airport
Justin Kaechele
January 19, 2022
At the Prospect Heights City Council workshop on Jan. 10, aldermen approved Chicago Executive Airport’s purchase of 3.37 acres of property adjacent to the airfield, near Tower Road. The property was approved for purchase for $1.1 million and will be paid for by the airport.
In 1986, the city of Prospect Heights and the village of Wheeling purchased most of Chicago Executive Airport (then called Palwaukee Airport), however, some parcels remained privately owned. One of those parcels was the site of the restaurant 94th Aero Squadron (94th). The parcel where 94th operated was owned by Signature Flight Support, LLC, an aviation ground support and service company that still serves the airport today. The 94th operated for 30 years and closed its doors in 2011. The restaurant structure was subsequently razed and cleared out in 2014 and has remained an empty lot ever since.
The airport board approved the deal, as did the village of Wheeling, which authorized the resolution at their last meeting in December.
According to a resolution, the purchase is partly due to a directive of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA recommended the land acquisition due to the proximity of the property to runways and other airport facilities.
The resolution also states that the purchase will allow this property to be developed for “aeronautical uses adding direct, indirect and induced effects to the local economy. It would create tax revenue for the applicable taxing districts.” The motion was unanimously approved. No public tax dollars will be used, aldermen were told.
