Plan for strip mall in Wheeling raises concerns among neighboring businesses
A developer is expected to address neighbors' concerns about a proposed restaurant and retail complex anchored by the Westin Chicago North Shore hotel on Milwaukee Avenue in Wheeling before a public hearing resumes later this month.
Wheeling's advisory plan commission is considering plans for a roughly 11,000-square-foot building just north of the Prairie Crossings shopping center, which includes Dunkin' Donuts, Subway and Spears Bourbon, Burgers and Beers. North of the proposed development is the vacant Twin Peaks eatery.
Harold Rider Jr. of Chicago-based Realty and Mortgage Co., which manages Prairie Crossings, said there are several concerns about the plan for the northeast corner of Milwaukee and Lake-Cook Road, including traffic flow, lack of parking and building size.
Rider also said the 1½-acre site's owner, Amin Sarfani, needs approval from Prairie Crossing ownership and the Westin for the proposed development in the complex, which includes Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant on the south.
"I think they should get approval from their neighbors prior to coming to the village so that they don't have to go back and do it again," Rider said.
Sarfani representative Brett Webster, a senior project architect from Oak Brook-based Ware Malcomb, said he's willing to address the concerns with the potential neighbors. That led the plan commission to delay its recommendation to the village board until its public hearing resumes Jan. 22.
Village board members have final say on the project, tentatively named Wheeling Oak Shopping Center.
While no tenants have been secured in advance, Webster said the 11,000-square-foot structure likely would have a sit-down restaurant with drive-through service. There would be outdoor dining at the eateries envisioned on each end of the building, which drew questions about safety from plan commission member Jeff Creech.
Plan commission member Michael Sprague raised concerns about whether there would be enough parking for the new strip mall. He said the closure of Twin Peaks in August has created more parking near the proposed development for now.
"If something eventually goes in (the former Twin Peaks), there's going to be a huge parking problem in that complex," Sprague said.