West Cook News

At a Cook County Court hearing, River Forest Village President Cathy Adduci urged Wintrust Bank to resolve the long-running foreclosure case over the "Lake & Lathrop" property, calling the site’s continued vacancy “a nuisance” and “a burden” on village residents and business owners.

Adduci asked Cook County Circuit Court Judge Anthony C. Kyriakopoulos on Oct. 31 to move the case toward resolution and to ensure that “the residents’ perspective is not forgotten in this discussion.”

“Since this litigation started in 2023, the property has sat vacant, blighted and largely untouched,” Adduci said in her statement to the court. “Dozens of our residents live in condos overlooking the eyesore, and our small business owners along Lake Street deal with the uncertainty and disruption. They are all wondering every day — when will this be fixed?”

Adduci told the court that the stalled project threatens the village’s ability to generate revenue that supports local teachers and public safety officers. “Our hope was for this development to create a vibrant downtown for our residents and our surrounding communities,” she said. “Our residents and businesses deserve better.”

Adduci said she presented photos of the property “to drive the point home” and urged that the case be resolved quickly. “On behalf of the 11,500 residents of River Forest and our small businesses along Lake Street, I simply ask that the court remains committed to resolving this litigation quickly so that our residents and business owners don’t have to endure this much longer.”

The foreclosure case involves Wintrust Bank and the former developer, Lake Lathrop Partners. 

Judge Kyriakopoulos has repeatedly urged Wintrust to settle the case, but the Rosemont-based bank has been resistant.

Wintrust's representative in the matter is Christopher Swieca, a senior vice president at Wintrust who oversees special assets and development projects. Swieca has been involved in restructuring efforts on commercial properties across the Chicago area.

The next settlement conference is scheduled for December 15, according to the Village of River Forest. Officials said their goal remains to see the property redeveloped as a “true benefit to our community.”