Vernon Hills eyes plans for condos at restaurant site

Vernon Hills trustees will get their first look today at a plan to replace two well-known restaurants near Little Bear Lake with 100 condos in a pair of seven-story towers.

Portofino and Opa restaurants at the northwest corner of Lakeview and Hawthorn parkways eventually would be razed, but re-established on the ground floors of the proposal known as Lake Vernon Condominiums.

The village board will informally consider the plan, which would require several variations from zoning code, at its special committee meeting tonight. That session follows the regular board meeting at 7 p.m. at village hall, 290 Evergreen Drive.

Demari Development Inc. of Lake Bluff wants to build the mixed-use development along the lake, which is one of the main attractions of the popular Century Park.

At 88 feet or seven stories tall, the condo buildings would far exceed the allowed height of 35 feet permitted as part of a planned unit development.

For comparison, the AMLI at Museum Gardens rental community on Milwaukee Avenue is 72 feet to the roof line.

Variations from what is allowed by ordinance also are being requested for the number of units -- 100 versus the allowed 80 -- as well as buffers and setbacks, and parking.

The location is on nearly 5 acres at the water's edge directly south of Century Park, where Summer Celebration, the village's most popular community event, is held. They are among the issues to be discussed by the board.

"How these structures impact both must be carefully considered," according to a staff evaluation.

Traffic is also a concern, and a study would be required.

As proposed, the two condo towers would be connected by a plaza. The ground floor of each building would contain about 20,000 square feet of retail space. The restaurants would be relocated around the plaza, which would allow for outdoor dining and lake views.

The restaurants would remain open as is until pre-construction sales goals are met, according to the proposal.

Demari has focused on residential and commercial projects on the North Shore, but was involved in the conversion of Portofino in 2000 and Opa in 2004.