Local developers Mike and Dan Rose express extreme disappointment in Mayor Ogle’s refusal to support Gardens of Frankfort development

Frankfort, Illinois, December 2024 -  A meeting at Frankfort Village Hall on Friday morning, December 20th, 2024 was abruptly cut short after Mayor Keith Ogle refused support to developers Dan and Mike Rose in gaining water and sewer utility access for their Gardens of Frankfort development. In the course of the meeting, when asked about bringing the issue of water and sewage access to a vote before the Village Board of Trustees, Mayor Ogle stated that he would not bring the project to the Village Board for a vote and implausibly suggested that The Gardens of Frankfort seek water access via Aqua Illinois Inc. which is not feasible as the source is based 5.5-6 miles away in Monee, IL.

In the years since a Will County Court ruling granted Rose the right to proceed with development on The Gardens of Frankfort site, the Village of Frankfort has thrown up numerous roadblocks to progress at a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Roses. The Village of Frankfort has presented Rose with numerous, onerous obstacles to proceeding forward with development on the site namely on the issue of water and sewer access. This stands in stark contrast to Mayor Ogle’s previous commitments to the Roses not to hinder progress on the Gardens of Frankfort modern manufactured housing development.

Mike Rose, founder and president of Location Finders International, and developer of the nearby Gateway Manufactured Housing Community, stated: “When I co-developed Gateway, we paid for an upgraded sanitary sewer at a cost in excess of $500,000. The cost was extraordinary because the Village of Frankfort demanded capacity for 2,400 units but Gateway only used 440 units!” When Rose applied to use the system he paid for, Frankfort said the system was already near full-capacity and The Gardens of Frankfort and Rose can't use it.

Stated Rose, “This is extremely unfair on the surface!”

Mike Rose is the founder and president of Location Finders International, a commercial real estate development firm he started in 1973. He has had a home in Frankfort, IL for 30+ years and raised his children in the community. Dan Rose is a local commercial real estate developer with business enterprises in the energy and global building supplies sectors and grew up in Frankfort, IL and attended Frankfort schools like Lincoln-Way East.

Dan Rose stated, “LFI has completed hundreds of projects around the state and country and we’ve seen everything in terms of government malfeasance. My father and I tried directly addressing the obstructions to progress with the Mayor and are left with few options, none of which are good for Frankfort. The fact that Ogle wouldn’t even shake my hand after being offered it at this meeting is embarrassing for him and, more importantly, Frankfort. The people of the Village of Frankfort deserve strong leadership.”

Media Contact: Thomas Witschy

The Gardens of Frankfort

Email: info@thegardensoffrankfort.com

Phone: (708)-280-0559