Look for redevelopment to revitalize Gurnee, official says

With few acres available for new construction projects, Gurnee likely will keep up with the times through redevelopment, a top village official told a business crowd Tuesday.

Gurnee Economic Development Director Ellen Dean, who started the newly created position in January, was the keynote speaker at the annual Mayor's Luncheon. About 100 guests attended the gathering at KeyLime Cove Water Resort organized by the Gurnee Chamber of Commerce.

Dean said Gurnee has only about 300 acres of undeveloped land, which means new projects likely will be in the form of revitalizing certain areas.

"Redevelopment looks like East Grand (Avenue)," Dean said. "It looks like, perhaps, Old Grand. When we're thinking about redevelopment, we're talking about underutilized properties. We're looking for that great-located property. Maybe it's an older building or a large tract of land that has just a very small amount of improved space."

Grand Avenue east of Route 41 has been a longtime target for possible revamping. Dean said it's not just new projects on land that's never been built on that can improve a town.

"You can make a big splash with redevelopment," she said. "It's complicated. Development and redevelopment, compared to filling available properties, is risky business."

In response to a question from the crowd, Mayor Kristina Kovarik said it's unlikely the Old Grand Avenue strip - also known as village center - will be transformed into a downtown similar to Libertyville's.

"Unless you have a downtown, it's very hard to create a downtown," Kovarik said.

Village Administrator Patrick Muetz also spoke to the business crowd. He said Gurnee Mills' parent company, Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group, plans further reinvestment in the mall and new stores.

"It's a little premature to mention who those (stores) are at this point, but we're happy to see Simon Property continue to reinvest in the mall and keep it fresh, exciting and bring new shopping venues to Gurnee," Muetz said.

Kovarik reaffirmed that a Portillo's restaurant will host a grand opening at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3. off Gurnee Mills' perimeter road northeast of Bass Pro Shops. Founder Dick Portillo is scheduled to attend the Gurnee debut.