Developer wants to turn former Wheeling shopping center into townhouses, shops
A suburban real estate developer wants to turn a former Wheeling shopping center into townhouses and new retail shops or restaurants.
Mount Prospect-based Wingspan Development is behind the effort. The project focuses on the land once home to the Dundee Plaza shopping center, on the south side of Dundee Road west of Elmhurst Road.
Businesses including Sunrise Indian Supermarket and Always Amazing formerly operated there. The property is vacant now.
The project has been dubbed London Crossing after nearby London Middle School.
The 11.5-acre site would have 55 townhouses and about 32,600 square feet of commercial space in three buildings, Village Manager Jon Sfondilis said.
The townhouses will be built on the south side of the property, with access from Jenkins Court, Sfondilis said.
The property is on the west side of the downtown area village officials are trying to create along Dundee Road. The Wheeling Town Center development is on the east end.
"London Crossing will act as a bookend to our community, and we expect the project will spur further development between it and the new downtown," Sfondilis said.
The developers have applied to village hall for consideration of the project as a planned unit development.
The project received a preliminary concept approval from the village board in 2018, Sfondilis said. Since then, the developers purchased the property, razed the buildings and developed engineering and architectural plans.
The next step is consideration by Wheeling's plan commission, which could happen within the next two months, Sfondilis said.
Trustee Mary Papantos said she's "delighted" the project is moving forward.
"Residents of that area often say, 'Don't forget about the west side of town' when development plans are discussed," Papantos said. "Hopefully residents are as excited about this project as I am."