Arlington Hts. redevelopment hits snag

The long-awaited redevelopment of the northwest corner of Arlington Heights and Algonquin roads hit a snag this week when the Arlington Heights Design Commission disagreed with the potential owners.

The main disagreement was over whether the look of the Maverick Car Wash and Convenience Store should coordinate better with the BP PLC pumps.

Higgley’s Restaurant and the BP station on the corner have been closed since 2006 but are not yet demolished.

It’s very important that the convenience store and carwash maintain a separate image from BP PLC, which insists on its identity at the pumps, said Architect Chris Kalischefski of Corporate Design + Development Group in Hoffman Estates, representing potential owners of the property.

In fact, BP PLC went out of the convenience store business because it realized local vendors could do the job better, he said.

The proposed design is important, said John C. Graham of Graham Enterprise Inc., which wants to build the three businesses.

“The building fits the tone of the kind of quality carwash we are putting together,” he said after the commission tabled the proposal.

The company will try to work things out with the village but, “We’re not building something we don’t know would be successful,” he said.

Graham Enterprise Inc. of Mundelein has 50 gas stations in the Chicago area, said Graham. Kalischefski said his company has designed 500 gas stations.

At an earlier meeting the design commission declared the project awesome and fun while making some suggestions, including tying in the gas pumps with the building, according to the staff report for Tuesday night’s meeting.

While Jim Tinaglia, who chaired the meeting for the commission, said it is a well-designed building, he objected to the lack of a relationship between the elements.

“My architectural sense says that doesn’t work,” said Tinaglia. “It doesn’t make sense to me.”

The idea is a carwash is not typically an oil company offering, and this makes it clear two experts in two fields are sharing a facility, said Graham.

Village President Arlene Mulder expressed impatience Wednesday about getting something built at the site.

But she also said coordinating all the elements would be important because “this is an entry point to the village of Arlington Heights.

“It is a major intersection and the appearance is critical,” she said. “It’s one of the first things you’ll see exiting the Jane Addams, and the Design Commission is a very important step in the process.”

Mulder said she has not seen the proposal and always wants staff to help developers through the process.

Another problem is that signage has not yet been submitted for review, but Ted Eckhardt, a member of the Design Commission, said the large horse symbol and words “carwash” that would be lighted from behind could be considered a sign and would not comply with village ordinances.

Tinaglia recommended the developers work with village staff to meet commissioners’ desires.

Two years ago BP got approval for plans at this corner, but these new plans are different and need to go through the special use process again, said Charles Witherington-Perkisn, director of planning and community development.

If the Design Commission rejects the plan the developer could appeal directly to the village board, said Perkins.