Biz Week that Was: Incentive deal reached for Arlington Heights gateway
With incentive deal reached, redevelopment of Arlington Heights gateway set to begin
A developer will get $17.8 million in tax increment financing incentives from Arlington Heights to help fund its $130 million residential and retail redevelopment at the south gateway to the village. Approval of public subsidies — through agreements inked by the village board this week — is seen by developer Bradford Allen as the last hurdle to getting shovels in the ground at the southeast corner of Arlington Heights and Algonquin roads.
Townhouse plan for Wheeling’s Prairie Park clears hurdle
Preliminary plans for a 48-unit townhouse development at Wheeling’s Prairie Park complex received the green light from the village board this week. The Highlands of Prairie Park townhouses are proposed for roughly 7 acres of vacant land on Meadow Lane, west of the four Prairie Park condominium buildings. Prairie Park is on the west side of Milwaukee Avenue, south of Lake-Cook Road. Eight, two-story townhouse buildings are planned. Construction could take two years and will be done in phases, Jamie Smith of Smith Family Developers told the board Monday.
Game time: Dave & Buster’s to open at Yorktown Center
Sports fans will find a 40-foot TV screen at a Dave & Buster’s opening in Lombard just in time for NBA action and peak college football season. The Texas-based chain is set to welcome patrons to the new 19,830-square-foot venue at Yorktown Center at 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 7. The arrival of Dave & Buster’s is far from the only development on the mall campus. A vacant Carson’s department store building is slated to be torn down to pave the way for a parklike plaza. Exterior demo work is expected to begin within the next few weeks. Empire Burgers + Brew recently opened at Yorktown with a rooftop dining experience. Ancho & Agave is currently under construction and anticipated to open later this year.
Libertyville bakery adds old-fashioned flair to bread making
Ellen King only wanted to eat some good, wholesome bread. To her, it’s comfort food. This simple desire led King and partner Julie Matthei to establish not one but, as of Thursday’s opening in Winnetka, three locations of Hewn bakery, which makes scratch-made breads, pastries and sandwiches. Hewn’s daily dedication to hand-shaping and naturally fermenting its breads, without commercial yeast, preservatives or additives, and sourcing ingredients from Illinois farms has been recognized by the Illinois Department of Tourism, which lists the bakery among its roster of “Illinois Made” artisans.
‘I want it to be an experience’: Independent bookstore to open in downtown Libertyville
Ingleside native Delanie Dochelli is opening About Time Bookstore in downtown Libertyville to share her passion for reading and books. Shelving is in, the first inventory of 2,200 books has been ordered and other preparations continue for the Oct. 25 grand opening at 528 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Pickleball boom continues with three new Picklr openings
Pickleball continues to be the fastest-growing sport in America. “We don’t see any signs of it slowing. There’s a massive court shortage, and that’s where we come in,” said Jay Sartori, co-founder of WAYMOR Sports, which is opening new franchises of The Picklr in Villa Park and Mundelein. A separate franchisee of The Picklr, North Shore Pickleball Group LLC, is handling the Mount Prospect location.
Yard House restaurant among new entries in ongoing Hawthorn redevelopment in Vernon Hills
Site prep work is complete and work on a new Yard House restaurant in Vernon Hills is expected to begin soon. The restaurant is among three new businesses coming to Hawthorn Row. Pure Barre, the largest barre franchise in North America, recently opened near AMC Theatres. Rootz, a local children’s performing arts center will be opening in the same area in 2025.
Auto group adds two new electric vehicle dealerships in Lisle
Lisle will be home to the state’s first VinFast and Polestar electric vehicle dealerships. Chicagoland Auto Group, which operates Honda and Volvo dealerships in Lisle, opened the state’s first VinFast dealership earlier this month at 2110 Ogden Ave. It also plans to open the state’s first Polestar dealership in early October at 4375 Lincoln Ave., said Steve Camp, general manager for the auto group.
Verizon sues Geneva over refusal to let wireless service tower be built
Verizon Wireless is suing the city of Geneva because the city council refused to let a wireless communications tower be built near a west-side neighborhood. The complaint was filed in federal court on Sept. 11 by DRA Properties and Chicago SMSA Limited Partnership. Chicago SMSA does business as Verizon Wireless. The suit alleges the city violated the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 when the council rejected a request to put the tower behind a strip mall at 1749 S. Randall Road. It is asking a judge to order the city to issue a permit.
‘Only the beginning’: Lake County government building powered by solar
Work is complete and underground connections are in place for Lake County to power a government building with solar energy for the first time. Soon, electricity to run the Central Permit Facility on the government campus in Libertyville will be generated by more than 2,000 ground-mounted photovoltaic panels covering two acres nearby. What is considered a medium-sized solar field was built by Maryland-based Standard Solar Inc., under a 25-year lease agreement that has the county paying a monthly rate for all the power generated.