Buffalo Grove trustee candidates discuss economic development

Long saddled with the reputation as a bedroom community, Buffalo Grove is seeing more economic development and financial investment in commercial property.

But the four candidates running for three, four-year trustee terms on the village board still see room for improvement.

Incumbent Trustee Joanne Johnson said the village has made tremendous strides in economic development, but other areas need attention. They include the Chase Plaza property at Lake-Cook and Arlington Heights roads and the former Cambridge Commons shopping center property at Dundee and Buffalo Grove roads.

While it would be great to redevelop those areas, to get there the village has to foster strong relationships with developers and property owners, she said. That could involve offering incentives, as was done with Woodman’s Market and The Clove developments.

Listening to the public is important, as the village did in formulating the Lake-Cook Corridor Plan, Johnson added.

Trustee Denice Bocek said struggling shopping centers will benefit when new residents move into developments such as The Clove.

The village board should review areas individually to determine how the village can help development, she added. Both Chase Plaza and Cambridge Commons are in tax increment financing districts, so incentives are in place to redevelop those parcels, she noted.

Trustee Lester Ottenheimer III said he would like to see more sit-down restaurants in the village, along with more empty-nester housing.

If a developer is doing their homework, they will come to the village, he added.

The village should work with developers to come up with a concept for a project, as was the case with The Clove, Woodman’s and Bison Crossing, as well as offer incentives.

Newcomer Paulette Greenberg said that with some of the “eyesore” properties, such as Chase Plaza, the village could change zoning to attract a different type of business.

“Neighboring towns like Vernon Hills took an empty store and now it's a pickleball court,” she said.

Greenberg also said she would like to see more senior housing, adding that she has friends who want to stay in the area but can’t afford it.

She agreed with Ottenheimer about attracting sit-down restaurants, saying a lot of people are unhappy with fast-food offerings.