Buffalo Grove downtown plan gets jeers and an OK
Armed with easels and architectural drawings and accompanied by his development team, Chuck Malk of the CRM Properties Group returned to the Buffalo Grove village board Monday night to unveil his new concept for a downtown Buffalo Grove.
The board ultimately voted to send the proposal to the planning and zoning commission for review.
Malk, who first proposed a major downtown development on the site of the Buffalo Grove Golf Course in 2012, said he wants to build a true downtown and not just a lifestyle shopping center — with offices, retail stores, movie theaters, a new village hall with a clock tower, luxury town homes for empty nesters, housing for executives and a river walk.
In addition, he said there would be a large public space for art shows and other community events.
Malk said flooding issues, which have dogged this area, would actually be mitigated for residents on the Cook County side to the south by this development.
And despite Village President Jeffrey Braiman's admonition that the focus Monday would be merely on planning elements and not financials, Malk predicted that the development would bring $11 million in revenue annually to the village.
Only one trustee, Beverly Sussman, voted against the proposal, saying the village is not ready to take that step.
Among those voting in the majority was Trustee Jeffrey Berman, who said he must be convinced about the project based on facts, not emotional pleas. Those facts, he said, are not yet available.
The next step for the proposal is for the commission to hold a workshop. That workshop could take place as early as this month.
Many in the audience were champing at the bit to voice their opinions and frequently interrupted Malk with comments and occasional clapping and catcalls. Public comment ranged from skeptical to completely unconvinced about the project's viability.
“This is Buffalo Grove,” said resident Bill Saunders. “We are not Wrigleyville. We are not Austin, Texas. We are not San Antonio, Texas. We are not in Venice. We are not in Italy.” Noting the shopping centers with vacant spaces, including the Dominick's at Arlington Heights Road and Lake-Cook Road, he said, “We don't need more retail space. We need more retailers.”
Resident Jim Spizzirri expressed concern that St. Mary Parish will lose more land, affecting the play areas for the parish children.
“We're trying to squeeze a downtown into an area that doesn't fit. It just isn't going to work at that location,” he said and suggested that Malk redevelop the Town Center instead. “Give us a real downtown that everybody would enjoy.”
Richard Siegel compared the concept to building a “field of dreams.”
“All we are doing is building a boondoggle that will create a burden for the taxpayers,” Siegel said.
Speakers expressed concern about traffic impact, while others suggested the matter go to referendum.
Trustee Lester Ottenheimer III said the village has an opportunity to make a nonperforming asset into a performing one but added he would not form an opinion until all the facts are in.
Trustee Beverly Sussman however, said she is opposed to referring Malk's proposal further down the road, saying the village has not yet determined what is the best use for the land.
“Right now I am not in favor of sending this on to the plan commission,” Sussman said. “I feel we are not ready for this step. We're not even ready for a (request for proposal). We don't even know what we are requesting.”