Prospect Heights Ultra Foods may open by Oct. 1

The new Ultra Foods grocery store could open in Prospect Heights as soon as Oct. 1.

Construction began April 1 to remodel the former Dominick's store, vacant since 2004. The 87,000-square-foot store will anchor the Prospect Crossing shopping center, at 1241 N. Rand Road.

Ultra Foods owner SVT and its contractor, Osman Construction Corp. of Arlington Heights, are focused on making the space new again.

“It was basically a frame,” said Steve Skiber, Prospect Heights director of building and zoning. “They took out all of the plumbing, supplies, vents and specs; this is going to look like a new store.”

The current focus is the underground plumbing, which needed the most renovation, Skiber said. The exterior is also getting work, and the landlord is paving the parking lot.

The “build out” portion of the work will cost about $4.4 million, he said. although the entire scope of the project will cost more.

So far, the renovations are proceeding on time. “We are moving forward on schedule,” said Skiber, “Everything's going great, they are passing inspections first time around, the subcontractor is following the plan. Everyone's on schedule.”

The new grocery store has a sales tax sharing agreement with Prospect Heights, which will rebate 50 percent of the sales tax earned by the store for 15 years. Officials estimate that will be worth $2.9 million to each party.

In addition to Ultra Foods, it is expected that other store vacancies at Prospect Crossing will have tenants by the end of the year, according to Skiber.

One of the new businesses coming is Penny's Place, a restaurant and bar that also will have video gambling. The combination has upset neighbors, who argue gambling has no place in the neighborhood and who think the place is too close to a school.