New building with Wendy's planned for former Famous Dave's in Palatine

A decade after it was shuttered, the former Famous Dave's restaurant in Palatine is slated to be demolished to make way for a new building including a Wendy's fast-food joint.

Hamra Chicago LLC intends to build a new, approximately 6,600-square-foot multi-tenant building at 1101 E. Dundee Road in the Park Place Shopping Center.

A Wendy's restaurant with a drive-through would be built on the eastern side of the building, and the rest would be occupied by one or two tenants that have yet to be determined.

Mario Valentini of MRV Architects told the village's plan commission on Tuesday night that Hamra has purchased the property. Once utilities are disconnected from the building, the new owner will proceed with demolition "as soon as possible," Valentini said.

"We are trying to keep a majority of the building that we're proposing within the confines, the footprint of the previous restaurant," he said.

Building a Wendy's as an "end cap" to a small shopping center is a "more economically viable situation" than building a stand-alone Wendy's, Valentini added.

The Park Place Shopping Center totals about 34 acres and was annexed by the village in 1985.

Last year, the village approved plans for a new 80,000 square foot U-Haul storage facility at Park Place. The facility is currently being built.

The overall plan addresses vehicle traffic and safety for pedestrians, Valentini said.

The village asked for an agreement with nearby Einstein Bros. Bagels to ease access within the shopping center.

"I think the traffic pattern, from a staff perspective, works within the site," Director of Planning and Zoning Ben Vyverberg said.

Due to the size of the property, the project will require a permit from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, Vyverberg added.

The plan calls for permeable pavers in various sections of the parking lot to assist with stormwater management.

Also, a new ADA-accessible sidewalk would be built on the northwest corner of the property to connect to the existing sidewalk parallel to Dundee Road.

There will be new landscaping with various trees and shrubs that will "spruce up" the "dated landscaping" at the location," Valentini said.

The plan got unanimous recommendation for approval from the plan commission. The village council is expected to discuss it Monday.