3 anchors interested in Lindenhurst center

The already large retail center planned for Lindenhurst has grown by almost 35 percent thanks to tenant interest in the project, developers say.

Developer OliverMcMillan announced Thursday the Lindenhurst Village Green could be built to accommodate 600,000 square feet of retail.

Mansie O'Leary, spokeswoman for the project, said the project's size grew because three anchor retailers are now expressing interest in the project.

She could not say which retailers would occupy those stores but hoped they could be named by Nov. 13.

Once completed, Village Green will surpass Deer Park Town Center, Algonquin Commons and The Glen Town Center in size.

"We are very anxious to break ground and move with great speed to build this outstanding project," said Paul Buss, president of OliverMcMillan.

When the village board approved the project in March, plans called for 447,000 square feet of retail space and a residential component.

OliverMcMillan originally planned up to 838 residential units as part of the project. Because of the increased retail space, the developer is in talks with adjacent property owners and does not know how many homes there will be.

"This is a complex project. We must make sure each detail is addressed," Buss said.

Buss, however, has promised upscale stores and restaurants that aren't now available in northern Lake County.

The village is holding a public review session on the updated Village Green project at 7 p.m. Nov. 13 at the St. Mark Education Facility.

Village Green will be built on more than 200 acres along Route 45, just north of Grand Avenue.

The multimillion-dollar development will be paid for by money generated from the business district village officials have put in place there. The sales tax in Village Green will be 1 percentage point higher than the normal 6.5 percent rate for up to 23 years.

Thursday, San Diego-based OliverMcMillan said groundbreaking is slated for the spring, with an opening date planned for late summer 2009.

Since the village approved the project, officials and OliverMcMillan representatives have held weekly status and input meetings.

"We are excited about the look and feel of Village Green," Lindenhurst Mayor Susan Lahr said. "It's not the typical local shopping center or strip mall."

Sprawling shopping centers

Deer Park Town Center, Deer Park: 386,000 square feet

Algonquin Commons, Algonquin: 400,000 square feet

The Glen Town Center, Glenview: 450,000 square feet

Village Green, Lindenhurst: approximately 600,000 square feet when completed in 2009.

Source: OliverMcMillan