Lake Zurich grants special permit to luxury auto dealer
Lake Zurich will officially say goodbye to a longtime custom-made furniture store this summer to make room for luxury automobiles in the fall.
Midwest Motors Inc. was granted a special use permit at a village board meeting Monday night to house a new and used luxury car dealership in the Capaccio Bros. building, at 540 Cortland Drive. Capaccio Bros. is closing after 28 years in the village.
Trustees said they think Benjamin Ripstein’s business will be a financial benefit to the village.
“I’m very thankful (he’s) willing to take it over, taking this is a huge financial risk,” trustee Dana Rzeznik said.
Before Ripstein, president of Midwest Motors, was given the permit, he had to answer some tough questions. Some residents said Ripstein hasn’t upheld all of the promises he made to them months before.
Margaret Oak, a resident of Mossley Hill Estates, said Ripstein has gone back on his word on two major issues. Oak said Ripstein had promised there would be a maximum of two to three cars parked outside facing Route 22, but at the June 20 village planning commission public hearing, he said there would be a maximum of 20. He also changed his hours of operation from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. to 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Oak said
“I don’t believe Mr. Ripstein is being completely honest with the residents and village,” she said.
Mayor Suzanne Branding said the village board took residents’ concerns into careful consideration before voting to issue the permit.
Prompted by Branding for a response to residents’ complaints, Ripstein said he has no plans to act on the changes that were written into the special permit and will uphold all of the self-imposed restrictions he’s promised. Because he will own the building rather than lease it, he said, he wanted to allow himself room to make changes in the future.
“I didn’t want to handcuff myself and not be successful,” he said.
Ripstein also entered an economic incentive agreement with the village to help him relocate his business, currently on North Ellis Drive in Volo. The agreement is limited to 10 years, with a deal to share 50 percent of the revenue on the retail sales tax. The agreement has a refund cap during any given year at a maximum of $60,000.
The village agreed to this partnership in hopes of enhancing the tax base and strengthening the village’s commercial sector.
Ripstein said he plans to open the dealership by Oct. 1.
“This is a future for me. It’s something I have strived for my entire life,” he said. “I’m excited to become a neighbor of the community.”