Planned Burr Ridge Nightclub Faces Opposition

BURR RIDGE, IL — The owner of Capri Ristorante in Burr Ridge is proposing a nightclub a few doors down from his restaurant.

So far, a couple of residents have submitted written comments in opposition to the plan. The village's Plan Commission is set to take up the proposal at its meeting May 3.

Capri's owner, Filippo "Gigi" Rovito, who has ties to Mayor Gary Grasso, is planning the "Are We Live?" nightclub for 312 Burr Ridge Parkway, which is part of County Line Square.

According to the application, the business would be a restaurant and bar serving small plates and live entertainment.

Sandy Andrews, a general contractor, is listed as the petitioner for the project. The village confirmed she is the authorized representative for Rovito.

Asked about "Are We Live?" in a phone interview Tuesday, Andrews said, "What is the big deal with this project?" Then she referred questions to Rovito. Patch left a message with Rovito through Capri's Facebook account.

In late December, an "Are We Live?" sign was posted on the building. And Rovito announced in a since-deleted Instagram video that he would open the place for dancing "after the holidays."

The village asked Rovito to take down the sign because it had yet to approve the zoning. Rovito complied.

In the village's packet for Monday's meeting, two emails are included from residents opposed to "Are We Live?"

Nikki Bekteshi, a physician, said if the village approves the nightclub, it would force her family to sell their house in the Ambriance neighborhood, which is behind the building.

"Several of my neighbors feel the same," Bekteshi said. "We have all worked too hard to get to enjoy where we are with our families only to have it taken away by something that goes against most family values. The noise, alcohol and possible gambling will only cause those of us who are hard-working taxpayers to move out. Why pay such high taxes while our Mayor allows everyone to come and disturb what we have built and paid for?"

Another resident, Patricia Davis, said Rovito showed "blatant disregard" for village zoning procedures when he erected his sign before getting the right permits.

"If Mr. Rovito cannot be trusted to follow the rules for signage and building permits, how is he to be trusted to adhere to noise ordinances, parking allocation, hours of operation and the like?" Davis said.

On Nov. 22, 2017, Rovito gave $5,000 to Grasso's campaign, according to state Board of Election records. But Grasso returned the money on Dec. 28, 2017. This was six days after the CBS affiliate in Champaign ran a story headlined, "Shady campaign cash flows to GOP candidate," which involved, in part, Rovito's donation to Grasso. Grasso has declined to say why he returned the money.

One of the plates at Capri Ristorante is called "Linguini alla Mayor Grasso."

In November, Grasso chastised Rovito in a letter over a report that Rovito and a hostess were not wearing masks. A state agency found Capri in compliance with the governor's ban on indoor dining, while Burr Ridge police said they determined the opposite.