Why some Bartlett officials are concerned about upscale auto mall plan for Lake Street

Bartlett officials are reviewing a proposal for an upscale auto mall near the Hyundai and Genesis dealerships on Lake Street despite early concerns about how much tax revenue it might generate long-term.

Named Horizon Plaza, the 47,778-square-foot building at the southwest corner of Lake Street and Horizon Drive would combine a showroom and event space for the display, auction or sale of unique automobiles with additional service space for the dealerships on the opposite side of Moretti’s restaurant.

The immediate plan for the showroom space would be to host private events five or six times a year for the sale of one or more exotic cars with values approaching $250,000.

But attorney Peter Bazos said the owner is considering the possibility of turning that part of the building into a vintage car museum in the future and applying for nonprofit status.

That quickly worried village board members during the plan’s initial public hearing.

Village President Dan Gunsteen noted nonprofit status would take a valuable piece of commercial land off the property tax rolls.

“I need to know what the benefit for my taxpayers will be,” he said of the proposal.

Trustee Stephanie Gandsey said even without such a future change, the auto mall sounds more like an exclusive private club than some other revenue-generating ideas suggested there in the past.

Trustee Adam Hopkins was worried about noise for residential neighbors to the south. Trustee Renee Suwanski prefers displayed vehicles be open to the public.

The proposal was forwarded to the village’s Planning and Zoning Commission. That panel doesn’t debate the economic value of the project to the village.

While the commission is working on a recommendation on the basic land use, staff and the board could work on the negotiation of a development agreement covering those issues, Gunsteen said.

The project would require a site rezoning to business use and special-use permits to allow a planned unit development, alteration of a wetland, the serving of liquor and auto sales and service.

Bazos said his client hopes to get a shovel in the ground this summer and be operational in early 2027. The Planning and Zoning Commission meets June 4.