Barrington board OKs new Walgreens store

During this time of year when coughing, sneezing and runny noses seems to be the norm, Barrington village trustees think another place that can help residents get healthy will be a welcome site.

On Monday, village trustees approved plans for a new Walgreens at 189 W. Northwest Hwy.

The project calls for redeveloping the existing Ace Hardware site on Northwest Highway into the 14,500-square-foot pharmacy. The new store will include drive-through facilities.

Village planner Brooke Zurek said the store will be a neo-Colonial-styled masonry building.

"It will look very nice," Zurek said.

The Walgreens will also include space, about 400 square feet, for a wellness clinic. However, it will not be an immediate feature of the store.

"It is such a new concept that (Walgreens) doesn't even have an initial plan for the wellness clinic in this store," said Eugene Faigus, the project's developer.

Trustee Steve Miller said he was in favor of Walgreens eventually bringing the clinic to the Barrington store.

"I am supportive of this concept because I think it will drive more retail (business to the store)," Miller said.

Barrington Park District Director Terry Jennings spoke at the meeting about her concerns over traffic that will be coming to the area because of the pharmacy.

Specifically, Jennings said the park district is worried about the access points onto Lions Drive shoppers at Walgreens will have.

Lions Drive is located behind the development and is also used by many patrons heading to Langendorf Park.

"We are not opposed to the project itself," Jennings said. "But, we are concerned about the traffic and the safety."

To try and address some of those issues, Barrington officials said they are prohibiting trucks from using the Lions Drive parking lot access points.

Also, only park district patrons will be allowed to turn right out of the pharmacy onto Lions Drive.

Village President Karen Darch said if they find that too many people are using the route as a cut through onto Northwest Highway, the restrictions could be tightened.

"If it is something that is getting abused then we will have to look at it," Darch said.