Plan for industrial complex near Great America receives chilly reception
Developers who proposed erecting large industrial buildings on 35 acres of farmland just south of Great America have not notified Gurnee officials if they plan to proceed after their plans received another chilly reception this week.
Assistant Village Manager Jack Linehan said Friday that there has been no formal communication between representatives from Bridge Development Partners and the village since they presented to the board on Monday night. Attempts by the Daily Herald to reach a Bridge representative have been unsuccessful.
Board members expressed serious concerns Monday, as did members of the village planning and zoning commission when they reviewed the initial version of the plan in March.
"I really don't understand why you're here because (former) Mayor (Kristina) Kovarik told you it wouldn't work, the plan commission told you it wouldn't work and it still doesn't work," trustee Cheryl Ross said.
The plan was before the board for an informal review and no votes were taken.
Trustee Quin O'Brien said while he appreciated the developers' efforts, he was on the board to represent the residents, whose thoughts on the project are overwhelmingly negative.
"If I'm representing the residents of Gurnee then I'd have to say it's not something they would want us to vote on," O'Brien said.
The core concern is how drastically it strays from what village officials had hoped to see on the site, a triangular parcel bordered by Washington Street, Milwaukee Avenue and Interstate 294. It has long been seen by village leaders as the site of the village's next big tourist attraction.
Dan Riedel, who owns the land across from Great America, expressed his frustration at the meeting over the board's reception.
"There is a high demand for this type of product in this area and they offer all kinds of revenue for the village," Riedel said. "And we can't accommodate even consideration to such a project? And send it away and then what? We're going to wait now five to 10 years and see if something better comes along?"
The plan calls for the construction of two large rectangular buildings that would run parallel to Washington Street. Both would have truck ports, and between the two buildings would be a paved area that truckers would use to come and go.
Since the initial March meeting, the designers moved the buildings and added enhanced screening. Also, the planned commercial area near the intersection of Washington Street and Milwaukee Avenue was increased from three acres to 10.