CarMax proposes used car dealership in Algonquin

CarMax could invest millions of dollars in the Algonquin community if the company's plans to construct a used car dealership along Randall Road move forward.

But some residents have expressed concerns over how the proposed development would affect nearby property values.

Algonquin officials have been working with CarMax for years to help secure a site with high visibility and plenty of space for a new dealership, Community Development Director Russ Farnum said. The Virginia-based company intends to tear down the former Duro-Life Corporation facility at the southeast corner of Huntington Drive and Randall Road and build a roughly 7,400-square-foot store in its place.

A public hearing before the planning and zoning commission is scheduled for July 9. Village trustees also would have to approve the proposal during subsequent committee of the whole and village board meetings before plans could move forward.

Even then, Farnum said, the dealership likely wouldn't begin operating for another couple years. If the development gets a green light, CarMax anticipates developing plans this year, completing site work and construction next year, and opening in 2020.

CarMax spokeswoman Lindsey Duke said the company typically invests between $10 million and $25 million into each new location. The Algonquin building is significantly smaller than the 87,000-square-foot Schaumburg location and the Naperville store, which is 60,000 square feet, she said.

The Algonquin CarMax is expected to employ 15 to 20 people and would be a "good fit for our current growth plan," Duke said.

However, Pete Gromadzinski, who lives just east of the property, said he worries the dealership will attract additional traffic and disturb his neighborhood. He also fears customers will use residential streets to test drive the vehicles, which he said could become a safety issue.

"I haven't run across anyone in this area that is excited about (the CarMax proposal)," Gromadzinski said. "They're going to spew into residential areas. That's not welcomed."

Farnum said the village has heard a few comments regarding noise, traffic and the potential appearance of the CarMax building, but he believes residents' concerns will be addressed before the approval process. The village will ensure the dealership has adequate open space and landscaping and is an appropriate distance from residences, he said.

"I'm pretty confident that the village's standards will maintain the property values of the homes behind there," he said, pointing to houses that back up to retail for 2½ miles along Randall Road. "None of them have been impacted property value-wise by the retail."