Second Ricky Rockets coming to Hoffman Estates
Hoffman Estates village board members unanimously approved a second Ricky Rockets Fuel Center in the village Monday, while a majority agreed to reconsider a previously rejected car wash renovation farther east on Golf Road.
The second Ricky Rockets will replace the current Shell gas station and car wash building at the northeast corner of Golf and Barrington roads - barely a mile south of the original Ricky Rockets at Hassell and Barrington roads.
This year is becoming one of expansion for the business, whose first location with its grinning spaceman figure on the roof, has become iconic in Hoffman Estates.
According to the business' website, new locations are also on the way in Midlothian, Kankakee, and in Garland, Texas.
Eric Grabowski, development manager for Ricky Rockets, said all the new locations will be located at well-traveled intersections.
Work is expected to begin on the second Hoffman Estates site in September and completed in the late spring, Grabowski said.
The owner of Ricky Rockets also plans to replace the former Clark gas station and car wash on the southeast corner of the same intersection with a 6,776-square-foot retail building that would house three to five tenants. Those plans are still pending.
Board members voted 5-2 to reconsider the renovation of Golf Rose Car Wash near the southeast corner of Golf and Roselle roads by a potential buyer who would rename it Route 58 Auto Wash.
Last month's 3-3 vote - due to Trustee Michael Gaeta's absence - failed to win approval for the project.
Gaeta said Monday he would have voted for it. The potential buyers have already altered the plan by removing one of its several vacuum stalls and increasing the amount of green space.
Trustees Gary Pilafas and Anna Newell voted against the reconsideration, which puts the proposal before the village board's planning, building and zoning committee meeting July 17.
Though the car wash lies in a tax-increment financing (TIF) district, the project has not requested any public funding, Village Manager Jim Norris said.
Pilafas said his opposition to the reconsideration was to prevent the potential buyers from being in a position to ask later.
"I don't think it's a good candidate for TIF-eligible funds," Pilafas said. "A car wash isn't going to help grow increment."