Palatine approves Harley dealership

A brand-new Harley-Davidson dealership and showroom is coming to Palatine.

Village councilmen unanimously granted final approval for the motorcycle dealership at 2001-2015 Rand Road. It will be a two-story, 55,000-square-foot building that will relocate from its current location just northwest on Rand Road.

"This is a very exciting opportunity for us," said Village Manager Reid Ottesen. "They've been looking to expand and we've been able to find them a new location.

The plan calls for a free-standing restaurant at the City Limits Harley-Davidson store. There will also be a new, electronic sign in front of the 6.6-acre property.

Although some residents behind the new dealership expressed concern about noise and other issues, Ottesen said since Rand Road is a commercial corridor, businesses will always have traffic going in and out.

The owner, Ozzie Giglio, also runs a store in Villa Park. Ottesen said village officials there hold the highest regards for the Harley owners when it comes to doing business.

According to Giglio, the current dealership has been there since 1984 and has outgrown the facility.

This is one of several projects under way on Rand Road in the village. Earlier this year, plans were announced for a massive Toyota dealership on the northeast corner of Rand and Hicks roads. The dealership will relocate from Buffalo Grove and double in size. It's expected to bring in more than $1 million in additional sales tax revenue.

A relocation and expansion of Tore & Luke's restaurant is also in the future, village officials say.

Since this area is in a tax increment finance district, the village provided $2.5 million in assistance for the land the new Harley dealership is on. The target date for the new dealership is Dec. 31, 2009.