S. Elgin sees retailers line up for Randall site

It looks like the last major piece of Randall Road in South Elgin won't be vacant for long.

Dick's Sporting Goods, Circuit City and the LA Fitness health club could be the latest businesses moving to the South Elgin Commons, officials said Monday.

There's space within the development, at the southwest corner of Randall Road and Thornwood Avenue, for one more tenant.

Kite Realty Group, based in Indianapolis, bought the property from Caputo's Fresh Markets, which initially planned on moving there.

Caputo's later decided to set up shop nearby at the 65,000-square-foot former Dominick's Finer Foods. Caputo's is due to open before Christmas, Village Administrator Larry Jones said.

The village's planning and zoning commission approved Kite Realty's proposal last month, with the caveats that Kite keep storage and garbage from public view and resolve storm water concerns on the property.

Kite is asking the village for two things: To let its buildings occupy 80 percent of the property rather than the allowed 60 percent, and to narrow the parking spaces from 10 feet to 9 feet. The village board will likely vote on the proposal at its next meeting.

Still, South Elgin's portion of Randall Road has already attracted a number of national chains and big-box stores, including Coldstone Creamery, Best Buy and Super Target.

Moreover, a La-Z-Boy store opened last month and Home Depot is due to unlock its doors next Thursday, according to its Web site.

"I'm proud of our tenants," said Steve Super, the village's director of community development.

Village officials are excited about what the businesses will mean for the village's bottom line.

"When you get into like a Dick's, a sports store that size, I'm sure will bring in new sales tax that we don't get from some of the other stores," Jones said.