Buffalo Grove downtown plan: Retail, residential and more
A new concept for a downtown Buffalo Grove on the village campus - from the developer behind the initial controversial plan - will be presented to the village board tonight.
The board is expected to hear a petition from CRM Properties Group asking for a preliminary review of a multi-use development at the Buffalo Grove Golf Course and municipal campus. The board meets at 7:30 p.m. at village hall, 50 Raupp Blvd.
The proposal calls for 355,000 square feet of retail space, 707,000 square feet of commercial space, 677 residential units and 53.5 acres of open space for active recreation, trails and parks. The plan also includes space for a cinema, potential theater, library, day care and fitness center.
Development would involve the relocation of the Farrington Ditch to the eastern portion of the development, creating a 150-foot buffer with a proposed flower garden and trail, between the downtown and existing homes in Manchester Green.
The village board tonight could decide whether to send the matter to the planning and zoning commission for review.
"A review by the (commission), positive recommendation by the (commission), and an acceptance of the (commission) recommendation by the village board does not imply that the project is approved for development," Deputy Village Manager Jennifer Maltas wrote in a memo to village trustees. "As stated above, the review and recommendation will give the developer the guidance needed to market the project and develop the project's financial viability based on the village's feedback."
A timeline on the village's website suggests that the matter could go to public hearing before the commission by January, with consideration of the recommendation by the village board shortly afterward.
Chuck Malk of CRM Properties, whose developments have included the shopping center by the Deerfield Metra station, first approached Buffalo Grove in August 2012, with a plan to build a downtown on 65 acres fronting Lake-Cook Road, on land that now holds the village's municipal campus and golf course. The vision included a new municipal campus, retail stores, condominium towers, public gathering places and cultural activities.
However, the village recently received a floodplain analysis that indicated only 58½ acres are buildable, and that the available frontage on Lake-Cook is smaller than initially believed.