Gurnee board to consider buying Old Grand buildings in floodplain

The Gurnee village board on Monday will consider purchasing flood-prone property near the Des Plaines River, including the Dairy Queen at 4611 Old Grand Ave.

Board members are scheduled to vote on a plan to buy land that includes two buildings on Old Grand.

Jack Linehan, assistant to the village administrator, said the purchase price in total is about $275,000.

Linehan said there are no plans yet about what the village would do with the buildings.

"Some of the tenants there do have existing leases," Linehan said. "We are not going to purchase it and then immediately do anything."

The properties in question are near the intersection of Grand and Old Grand and are adjacent to the village-owned Welton Plaza. Among the other businesses that operate on the properties are Grow Masters, which sells brewing equipment and supplies, and Kirby Co. of Gurnee, which sells vacuum cleaners.

Linehan said the area floods quickly.

"They require full sandbag operations at both buildings," Linehan said.

Linehan said the village has long considered both buildings to be prime candidates for floodplain acquisitions. This year, the owner came to the village to discuss it, he said.

Over the years the village has purchased and demolished dozens of buildings to combat flooding. By removing the buildings, the flood zone does a better job of soaking up water and the village has to spend fewer resources fighting rising waters and cleaning up damage.

Village board members will meet in person at village hall at 7 p.m. Monday. Linehan said everyone at the meeting will practice social distancing and will be seated at least six feet apart.