Mount Prospect renews triangle restaurant valet service for one more year

Restaurant owners in Mount Prospect’s “small triangle” have verbally agreed to pick up half the cost for the village’s valet parking service under a new one-year agreement.

Village staff initially proposed a two-year extension, but trustees backed a one-year term.

The village contracts with FiveStar Valet to serve three restaurants, The Prospect, the Mount Prospect Public House and Station 34, in the triangle formed by Northwest Highway, Busse Avenue and Route 83.

The service was originally offered on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays to address limited parking in the triangle and safety concerns about customers crossing Route 83 and Northwest Highway.

Under the new arrangement, service would be reduced to Fridays and Saturdays, and the roughly $34,000 annual cost would be split evenly between the restaurants and the village.

An interim extension of the current program will run into late May while attorneys hammer out the cost-sharing agreement.

Trustees were divided during Monday’s meeting, with Mayor Paul Hoefert casting the deciding vote in favor of the extension.

Trustee Colleen Saccotelli said she favored the one-year deal only if village participation sunsets or ramps down after that.

Trustees William Grossi and Beth DiPrima were the most vocal opponents.

“It is totally inappropriate for us to be doing this, especially since the owner of the valet company said that no other village does this,” Grossi said.

DiPrima questioned why the village would keep subsidizing the valet service after spending about $600,000 on a crosswalk at Route 83 and Busse Avenue to improve access to existing parking.

Speaking on behalf of the three restaurants, Dawn Fletcher Collins, representing The Prospect, said the businesses are putting real skin in the game.

“The restaurants do stand on their own, with great commitment and gratitude, because they chose to be here,” she told trustees.

Mount Prospect Community Development Director Jason Shallcross said only 63 parking stalls serve six businesses, including the restaurants.

Walking to them across Route 83 and Northwest Highway can be challenging, he said. FiveStar parks an average of 100 vehicles per weekend, mostly in the West Metra parking lot.