Wheeling Galleria gets go-ahead from village board

Construction on a new strip mall along Dundee Road in Wheeling will start this fall, and it's expected to be open in about a year, officials were told on Monday.

Wheeling trustees unanimously approved plans for the Wheeling Galleria at the village board meeting. The development is planned for vacant land on the north side of Dundee Road.

The Galleria will consist of two buildings that will sit on about four acres in the 100 block of West Dundee Road, located just east of Wheeling' village hall and police station. The 47,000 square foot development will consist of 29 office spaces.

Each building will be two stories and be connected with a second-floor corridor. The first level will be for retail, and the second floor will be reserved for office spaces.

So far, owner Michael Olshansky has signed Dunkin' Donuts and Panera Bread for the first floor, he said after Monday's meeting.

"We're still looking for other smaller tenants," Olshansky said.

The project's architect, Andrew Lipowski, said the area along Dundee Road is ripe for development. Employees at the police station, village hall and park district, and visitors to the Wheeling pool will be the Galleria's main customers.

"Look at this area now, there is no place to go," Lipowski said.