I hope everyone had a great holiday season. Now that it’s a brand-new year with brand-new opportunities and challenges, I wanted to take a look back on 2021 and highlight some of the great things we were able to accomplish together.

One of the biggest changes here at Village Hall was Pat Carr becoming our new Village Manager, taking over for longtime manager Dave Niemeyer, who retired in October. Pat’s been doing an outstanding job so far. Joining him is new Assistant Village Manager Hannah Lipman, and together they lead an incredibly talented and hard-working staff that continues to impress me every day.

One of the most visible ways we measure progress is through new development, and Tinley Park saw its fair share last year. You've all probably seen the beautiful Boulevard at Central Station at the southeast corner of South Street and 67th Court. We not only finished construction in 2021, but the entire building is also already fully booked with new residents. With Phase Two of construction on the horizon, the Boulevard is shaping up to be a game-changer in Downtown Tinley.

Another successful development from last year includes the newly renovated Brixmoor shopping center on the east side of Harlem Avenue, just south of 159th Street. Burlington opened its doors there in September, and the remaining space for a future tenant is expected to be open this February.

We recently joined officials from Loyola Medicine to break ground on the new Loyola Southwest Ambulatory Care Center, a two-story, 72,000 square-foot building at the southeast corner of LaGrange Road and 179th Street that will include an ambulatory medical clinic for primary care, a range of medical specialties, and a cancer care center. It’s slated to be open and operational by 2023.

There are even more developments in the works, such as the new business park being built at Vollmer Road and Harlem Avenue, including about 1.3 million square feet of floor space over three floors. When complete, it'll bring additional jobs to the area and property tax revenue to the various taxing districts. Pete’s Fresh Market at the former Super K-Mart location at 163rd Street and Harlem Avenue will break ground in March or even earlier, depending on weather and the status of the recent supply chain issues we’ve been having across the country.

The Union Square Townhomes at 179th Street and Oak Park Avenue are also nearly complete, as is the new 7-11 at 171st Street and Harlem Avenue. A new Starbucks location is slated to occupy the adjacent space just south of Harlem, and an additional Starbucks is planned for 171st and LaGrange at the former Fifth Third Bank site behind the CVS. I'm also excited about the new Holiday Inn being constructed along North Creek Drive, which will bring our hotel total here in Tinley Park to an impressive 11.

Continue reading this story on the Village website.

Your business has the unique opportunity to become a presenting sponsor of the 2022 Downtown Tinley Irish Parade, which will step off at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 6 from Central Middle School and proceed north on Oak Park Avenue to 171st Street. With approximately 80 entries and thousands of viewers, this is an opportunity you won’t want to miss!

The $595 presenting sponsorship includes a parade entry; your business name or logo on the lead parade banner and on promotional materials such as the Village website and Community Email; recognition on the Downtown Tinley Facebook page; and an extended announcer recognition at the reviewing stand.

Only five businesses will have this opportunity. The Village will accept applications on a first-come, first-served basis through Feb. 11. For more information, visit the Event Participation Opportunities page on the Village website.

Why not celebrate the St. Patrick’s Day season by participating in the Village's "Luck of the Irish" virtual map? Businesses can use this free map to promote their Irish-themed specials and sales throughout the month of March.

The Village will promote the virtual map through all Village social media channels, in the Tinley Park Community Email and on the Village website. Even the most unlikely of businesses can participate by creating an Irish twist to a sale or special!

Submitters must represent a Tinley Park business, and the ad must be exclusively about a St. Patrick’s Day special, sale or event hosted by your business during the month of March. The virtual map entry will identify your business name, location, website, picture or logo and a 30-word (max) description of your Irish offering (please use full sentences).

To participate, fill out and return the application form with the above-mentioned map content by Feb. 10 to [email protected].

The Village of Tinley Park is here to share your news! Be sure to alert us to major events, milestones or any other information you'd like to share with the Tinley Park community. You may also be interested in participating in the Tinley Park Business Spotlight, which gives local owners/operators a chance to talk about their businesses during Village Board meetings every first and third Tuesday. These meetings are live-streamed, reaching thousands of Tinley Park residents every month, and short videos of each Spotlight are shared on social media, the Village website and on Tinley Park Television. Interested? Just email Kristin Thirion at [email protected].