House of Brides Claims Village Manager Interferred with Lease

The owner of an Oak Lawn bridal shop is claiming that the village manager interfered with a $5 million lease agreement by steering the prospective tenant to another vacant storefront up the street.

The newly inducted village board approved parking and landscape variances for JenCare to open one of its senior neighborhood medical centers in the old Men’s Wearhouse space at 6101 W. 95th St., based on a referral from the Oak Lawn Planning and Development commission.

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Attorney Michael Balourdos representing the owner of House of Brides was ready to close on a seven-year lease with the senior medical care provider to rent the Oak Lawn bridal store at 5433 W. 95th St.

When JenCare initially approached the village with a petition for a parking variance at House of Brides, Balourdos alleged that the prospective tenant was encouraged to look at alternatives sites.

“There have been in the past few months a set of disturbing and alarming facts concerning the events which brought us here today,” Balourdos told village board members. “We’re not sure if the board is aware of those facts or allegations that have been made, but we feel as a property owner in Oak Lawn they should be investigated to a degree.”

The House of Brides attorney also asked that the motion to approve the variances be remanded back to the village’s planning and development commission so that House of Brides could reopen lease negotiations with JenCare.

In a conference outside of the village board chamber, Balourdos said that JenCare’s original petition seeking a parking variance at the House of Brides location ended in a 4-4 tie by the planning and development commission.

He further stated that the bridal store owners were alerted to the “alarming circumstances” in a letter from former mayor Dave Heilmann before he left office.

The House of Brides owners claim the former mayor was told by another village official that Deetjen “didn’t want that kind of clientele” in the center of town.

JenCare’s second petition for parking and setback variances at 6101 W. 95th St. received a unanimous 8-0 vote from the planning and development commission.

Dale Budzecki, the owner’s husband, said there are even fewer parking spaces at the 6101 W. 95th St. address, than at House of Brides.

"House of Brides has 33 spaces," Budzecki said. "[The other location] has 19."

JenCare communications director Jim Brown told Patch that his company was trying to “stay above the fray” of village politics.

Brown said that whenever his company goes into a new market, JenCare considers multiple locations. He was also unaware of any alleged racist comments the village manager might have made about some of the senior medical center's elderly patients possibly being minorities.

“We’re not aware of any such comments made by the village manager,” Brown said. “We’re very pleased to be part of the Oak Lawn community.”

After Tuesday’s board meeting, asked if the racist allegations were true, Deetjen said he wouldn’t dignify the question with a response.

“I suggested multiple sites, I didn't direct [GenCare] to Men's Wearhouse," the village manager said. "I'm looking at the big picture. It's my job to help new businesses coming into Oak Lawn."

Balourdos said his client’s next step is to sue the village for alleged contract interference.