Road widening puts squeeze on former gas station site in Libertyville
The status of the long-vacant Mobil gas station at the busy intersection of routes 21 and 137 in Libertyville has become one of those elusive topics of town chatter.
As many as 28,000 drivers pass each day, so how can it not be open with all that potential business whizzing by?
The short answer is it's hard to say, although the property owner and a prospective operator would like to proceed sooner rather than later. "The plan is to reopen it as a gas station," said Mark Yeary, the Chicago-area contact for Buchanan Energy LLC.
However, when or if that may happen is to be determined. Complicating matters is what's left after a slice of the property was taken for the $23 million intersection/road widening project that wrapped up in late summer 2014.
"Tough site with the limited size and access," said John Spoden, the village's community development director.
Still, given the property's location on a village entryway, Libertyville officials are getting antsy about its disposition.
Curiosity has surfaced publicly in recent weeks, including on a local Facebook page and during a question-and-answer session with mayoral candidates at Libertyville High School.
"It's ugly," said Mayor Terry Weppler. "I'd like to see it either open as a business or torn down. One way or another."
Spoden said a potential station operator has been generating possible site plans.
"Their engineer has been providing a number of different alternatives which in turn we're having our traffic consultant review," he said.
The use as a gas station is permitted but may need to involve relocation of the pumps, Spoden added.
Yeary said all options to make the project successful are under consideration, and action could come in as early as 30 days.
And Aleeq Khan, a Vernon Hills resident and potential station operator, said he hopes the station will reopen in a few months.
But first, access to the station as well as traffic circulation on the site needs to be deemed safe by consultants, Spoden said. Approval for curb cuts from the Illinois Department of Transportation also is needed.
IDOT is awaiting updated documents necessary for review and has not approved access to the site, according to agency spokeswoman Gianna Urgo.
A similar situation south of downtown Libertyville on the corner of heavily traveled Milwaukee Avenue and Route 176 played out several years ago.
In that case, a former Shell gas station was boarded up and vacant for at least eight years before being demolished in 2008, after the village filed legal action. The lot has remained undeveloped.
Weppler said so much property was taken from the Mobil site for road improvements that it will be tough to proceed.
"I'm just not sure it's going to work. It's too difficult to get in and out of there," he said.