Look back at Elmhurst's biggest stories

ELMHURST – As the new year nears, it's time to revisit what made 2014 memorable. From a record-breaking winter to the final decisions on development projects years in the works, this year's top stories will live on long after the ball drops next week.

1. Family tragedy

What happened: Elmhurst mourned the tragic loss of a family described as caring and loving after Frank Stack, 82, shot his wife, Joan Stack, also 82, and their disabled adult children, Frank Stack Jr., 48, and Mary Stack, 57, in the head before turning the gun on himself. Frank and Joan Stack experienced health issues as they grew older.

Quote of note: “It had to come out of love for his family. His family came first,” Stack family neighbor Peggy Babyar said.

4: The number of crosses displayed outside the Stack home after the tragedy.

2. Stormwater struggles

What happened: Some Elmhurst residents became impatient with the slow progress on proposed stormwater detention projects, using open land owned by the Elmhurst Park District and District 205, submitting a petition with more than 600 signatures to ask the bodies and the city of Elmhurst to work together and move faster toward implementing the detention projects proposed by Christopher B. Burke engineering.

In response, the city prioritized four pilot projects and requested the Park District and school board either approve or deny the projects, but neither gave a straight answer by the proposed deadline.

The Park District board instead approved two alternative plans for Golden Meadows Park and York Commons – a move that split residents.

The District 205 board decided against putting the projects to referendum and agreed to continue working with the city to come up with an agreement for the proposed projects at Madison Early Childhood Education Center and Bryan Middle School.

Following an updated report from Burke, the City Council approved engineering costs for a new project designed to reduce flooding for 76 homes in the Walnut/Evergreen/Myrtle area by using the Elmhurst Quarry for stormwater storage.

Quote of note: “Flooding ... affects all of us because our property values and our psyche are affected every time there’s a flood in this town,” Fourth Ward alderman Jim Kennedy said.

$179,865: Engineering costs approved for Elmhurst Quarry project.

3. Parking controversy

What happened: More than five years after Elmhurst began considering the Addison Parking Deck project, the City Council voted this year to approve a six-story building.

The project, which officially broke ground Dec.19, will have five stories of public parking above first floor retail space on Addison Avenue in downtown Elmhurst.

Despite controversy surrounding the height of the parking, the City Council denied a request to put the project to referendum, since the project was already so far along and the referendum would only be advisory. The project is expected to be completed in the fall.

Quote of note: “In the end, one group is going to be right and one group is going to be wrong. ... We’re not going to get that answer for probably 10 or 20 years,” Sixth Ward alderman Jim Kennedy said.

65: The height in feet of the Addison Parking Deck

4. Big building

What happened: The Elmhurst City Council chose Morningside Group and approved zoning requests to develop a six-story development, called North District, that will include 192 luxury apartments, 12,000 square feet of retail space, 153 public parking spaces, 335 residential parking spaces and a civic plaza on city property just south of Panera on York Street.

Quote of note: “It’s a topic that’s been debated and discussed at great length before this body,” Fifth Ward alderman Scott Levin said.

192: The number of luxury apartments that will be included in the development

5. Moving in

What happened: Elmhurst approved Nitti Development’s 56-home subdivision after the developer agreed to buy the former Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Berteau Avenue campus property.

The subdivision will include a new U-shaped permeable paver street as well as 500 cubic feet of stormwater storage on each lot. The council also increased impact fees to School District 205 and the Elmhurst Park District by a total of $130,000 for the developer.

As construction began on the site, community members raised concerns over the iconic Elmhurst Memorial Hospital cupola. In response, Nitti Development devised a way to remove the cupola in one piece and donated it to the city.

Quote of note: “We’re excited about being part of this community,” Nitti Development President Joe Nitti said.

56: The number of homes that will replace the old hospital campus

6. Nybo wins

What happened: After Kirk Dillard resigned from his position in the state Senate’s 24th District to take a position as chairman of the Regional Transportation Authority, DuPage GOP Chairwoman Darlene Ruscitti and Lyons Township GOP committeeman James Falvey convened a committee, which appointed Chris Nybo of Elmhurst to finish out the term.

Nybo had won the primary against another Elmhurst resident: state Rep. Dennis Reboletti. In November, voters elected him to another term in the state Senate.

Quote of note: “I will work as hard as I can to get our state back on the right track with the right priorities that will allow us to create jobs, restore fiscal health and become the kind of state that we deserve to be,” state Sen. Chris Nybo, R-Elmhurst said.

60: The percentage of votes Nybo received

7. Water woes

What happened: The overnight rainfall from Aug. 21 to 22 in Elmhurst ranged from more than 4 inches on the north side of town to about 2 inches on the south end, resulting in flooded yards and basements for some residents, many of whom were not strangers to such flooding.

The Robert T. Palmer Drive underpass was closed most of the day Aug. 22 as public works crews used pumps to remove the water. Other street closures included York Street at Interstate 290, North Avenue at I-290 and Route 83 from St. Charles Road to North Avenue.

Quote of note: “It shouldn’t be a red badge of courage to say how many times you’ve remodeled your basement, but it’s been more than twice for me, and it sickens me that I hear that from other folks,” Elmhurst Mayor Steve Morley said.

4: The number of inches of rain that fell in north Elmhurst, causing flooding

8. New policies

What happened: This year the Elmhurst City Council approved several new residential stormwater policies including a restriction on impervious lot surface, stormwater storage requirements for new construction and addition projects, and an incentive program that reimburses homeowners for up to 110 percent of the cost of stormwater management projects beyond those required.

Quote of note: “We wanted to make the fee in lieu of pricey, we wanted to make it not as attractive, but we also wanted to make sure that when there’s extenuating circumstances, you have a way to grant a homeowner relief,” Fifth Ward alderman Chris Healy said.

$5,000: The maximum reimbursement the city will pay for stormwater improvement projects

9. Polar vortex

What happened: Elmhurst, like the rest of the area, started 2014 with the polar vortex. A total of 20.7 inches of snow blanketed Elmhurst within the first two weeks of January.

During the second snowstorm of the year, which was in early January, Elmhurst used 300 tons of salt. District 205 canceled school a total of four days due to extreme weather.

In February, officials worried the melting snow could cause flooding.

Quote of note: “Help us clear those inlets of snow so that the water will have a place to go to instead of ponding in the street and possibly on property,” Elmhurst City Manager Jim Grabowski said.

30: The number of plows the city had out on the streets at one time, although there may have been instances where more were used

10. ‘Hot’ topic

What happened: The Elmhurst City Council voted 10 to 4 in April to eliminate the self-proclaimed Hot Dog Lady of Elmhurst’s former location at York Street and the Schiller Passage, along with another location, from the list of approved pushcart food vendor locations.

The Public Affairs and Safety Committee’s report, which the council approved, cited congestion and potential construction as reasons for eliminating the positions. Pamela Uslander – the city’s only pushcart food vendor – reluctantly moved across the street near the Elmhurst City Centre Fountain.

Quote of note: “We – the City Council – make a big show talking about how friendly Elmhurst is for business...It’s clear to me that we’re only friendly to businesses we love or that we have some personal relationship with,” First Ward alderman Diane Gutenkauf said.

23: The number of years Uslander had operated her cart in downtown Elmhurst prior to the vote

11. Letterman debut

What happened: Rolling Stone called it “utterly out-of-control, utterly compelling, and even weirdly divisive,” but Elmhurst’s own The Orwells left David Letterman calling for an encore when they made their debut appearance on “The Late Show” in January.

The rock band of York High School grads returned to the Ed Sullivan Theater for a second performance in the summer. Just in time for the holidays, an iPad Air 2 commercial is now airing that features their song “Who Needs You.”

The Elmhurst band will close out 2014 with a New Year’s Eve performance at Lincoln Hall in Chicago.

Quote of note: “I feel like as soon as you think that, you start to spiral out of control and hit rock bottom, so I hope we never make it,” said the Orwells frontman Mario Cuomo

2009: The year The Orwells was founded

12. Stimulating simulation

What happened: A 4,600-square-foot nursing simulation center opened in the lower level of Elmhurst Memorial Hospital this year. The $1.4 million project is a collaboration between Elmhurst College and the hospital.

Nursing students at Elmhurst College will use the facility to practice health care scenarios with the college’s life-size, robotic patients.

The facility also includes a home care lab, observation room and cameras that allow students to view simulation exercises from classrooms at Elmhurst College, their laptops or even via cellphone.

Hospital staff and first responders also use the new lab for training purposes.

Quote of note: “A lot of times you’re educating in a vacuum … here they’re really seeing the system, which is a wonderful learning opportunity,” Elmhurst College Deicke Center for Nursing Director Julie Hoff said.

4,600: The size in square feet of the new nursing simulation center at Elmhurst Memorial Hospital

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This week

Find out what stories you need to be following in 2015.

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