Commercial uptick expected with Rollins Road completion
With the long and disruptive Rollins Gateway road project in the books, Round Lake Beach officials sense opportunity for business to add to the existing mix and fill some vacancies.
For example, the owners of a small shopping area at the northeast corner of Mallard Creek Drive and Rollins are looking for zoning variations to expand the center and upgrade the facade. Though not a huge project, the proposal to be presented Thursday to the village's planning and zoning commission, could be an indication of things to come.
Equities Associates IV Corp. wants to add 6,900 square feet of retail space to its 14,000-square-foot center.
“To us, it's important. It's an expansion of a commercial use on a very desirable piece of property,” said Jon Wildenberg, the village's director of economic development.
The company also owns two open acres on the eastern edge of the property, which is shown on leasing material as the future site of a 10,700-square-foot building. The properties front a 192,940-square-foot Meijer store and fueling facility under construction on the cleared Mallard Creek shopping center site. Before it was demolished, the troubled center included vacant stores once occupied by Wal-Mart and Dominick's. Meijer is expected to open next summer.
With Meijer making steady progress and completion of the Rollins Gateway project, which disrupted traffic and businesses in the area for more than two years, the village expects development interest in the area to increase.
“Absolutely. We'll see a lot of business activity in that area,” Mayor Richard Hill said. “That corridor is so much easier to navigate. We've had a lot of inquiries.”
Hope also is that a user for the vacant former Kmart building to the west on Rollins will be forthcoming.
“A lot of people were holding back, waiting to see how the (Rollins) project came out,” Hill added.
Despite the lengthy road project, the village's sales tax revenue in the busy commercial corridor did not drop as expected. In 2012, Round Lake Beach received about $3.4 million as its share of state sales tax, virtually the same as in 2014.
The village is looking ahead and is seeking a recommendation from the planning and zoning commission to establish standards and land uses for a property known as the Orchard Lane Conservation Area. The roughly 80-acre parcel is bordered by Rollins, Nicole Lane, Orchard Lane and the Country Walk subdivision.
Wildenberg said the idea is to provide developable areas that take advantage of the wetland environment on the property, which is partially owned by the village. Part of the request is to allow for the extension of Hook Drive, which serves the village hall, Metra commuter station, post office, Hook Lake, and the Cultural and Civic Center, to Nicole Lane.
“This is something that's been anticipated for a number of years in the comprehensive plan,” Wildenberg said.
Hill said an office park or other uses will translate to more people in the area and potentially more restaurants and other businesses.