Antioch not sold on new complex

Despite promises of jobs, millions of dollars for local schools and enough retail options to meet every resident's need, Antioch officials aren't completely sold on a sprawling new shopping center proposed for the east side of town.

Developers from V-Land Corp. found themselves in a familiar setting Tuesday: standing before the village board in another attempt to gain approval for Antioch Marketplace.

And again, they walked away without an answer.

Trustees asked several questions after V-Land's 80-minute presentation, but they gave no indication approval or denial was imminent.

The 600,000-square-foot retail development includes three big-box stores and several outlying buildings along the north side of Route 173, just west of Wal-Mart.

V-Land unveiled plans for Antioch Marketplace in January. The project seemed to be headed toward approval until April, when new village board members were elected and requested more information.

Despite the standing-room-only crowd Tuesday, which included several adjacent homeowners with environmental and quality-of-life concerns, board members did not take public comments.

Residents will have a chance to ask questions during an upcoming public hearing, not yet scheduled.

Trustee Dennis Crosby acknowledged there were still several issues that still need to be addressed, including the removal of almost 40 mature oak trees along Brown Road, which borders the development's West side.

V-Land representatives said those trees would be replaced with more than 800 new trees and 4,000 shrubs.

V-Land owns 108 acres of land, including a portion of Little Silver Lake, but plans to build on only 75 acres along Route 173.

If the project is approved, Target, Lowes and Kohl's would fill the big-box buildings while Shoe Carnival, PetSmart and Staples have made commitments to occupy outlying buildings, said Andrew Goodman, development manager.

"To have 75 percent of the buildings accounted for is a phenomenal testament to the market," Goodman said. "I feel very proud of what we have been able to put together thus far. The retailers we have mentioned are some of the best in the country."

Developers are seeking several approvals from the village including annexation of 85 acres from unincorporated Lake County, zoning changes, and revision of the village's comprehensive plan that now limits commercial development to 30 acres, and a planned unit development permit.

The village's plan commission held three hearings earlier this year with V-Land and in June unanimously recommended the village board approve their requests.