Development Services Director
Michael Chen
Michael Chen came to Oak Park in 1999 as
the Redevelopment Manager for the Downtown Tax Increment
Finance District and was promoted to the Development Services
Director within his first year. Chen gained his development
knowledge in the private sector with almost 30 years of
international business and real estate development experience,
which has included multimillion-dollar projects in Arizona,
California and Florida. Chen holds a Master of Science degree
in Quality Management from the University of Miami and a
Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce (Finance major) from the
University of Louisville. An Oak Park resident and homeowner,
Chen has been a frequent panel speaker at
national/international conferences on finance, real estate
development, international partnerships and tourism. He is
included in Who's Who International and Who's Who
Worldwide.
Village Attorney
Raymond L. Heise
Ray Heise became Village Prosecutor in
1976, was promoted to Assistant Village Attorney in 1981 and
became Village Attorney in January 1984. Over the last 27 years
he has drafted numerous significant ordinances, policies and
programs on behalf of the Village including the Handgun Ban,
Diversity Assurance Program, Ethics Ordinance, Historic Preservation
Ordinance, Retail Rehab Grant Program, Citizens'
Police Oversight Committee, Domestic Partnership and Domestic
Partner Registry Ordinances, Public Art Ordinance and
amendments to the Zoning Ordinance. He also has served on the
Fire and Police Pension Boards for more than 20 years. Heise
holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the
University of Illinois and graduated cum laude from I.I.T.
Chicago Kent College of Law. A long-time Oak Park resident,
Heise is a member of the Chicago and Illinois Bar Associations
and the Illinois Municipal League Home Rule Attorneys'
Committee.
Confidence in the community continued to
run at record levels through the second quarter of the year as
residents and business operators invested strongly in
remodeling and building projects. The Village's Building
& Property Standards Department issued more than 2,900
construction permits through June 30, an increase of more than
6 percent over the same period last year. The value of the
projects so far this year was more than $19 million. For more
information on building permits, call 358.5430 or email building@oak-park.us.
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