Algonquin's village board approves development of car wash, tire store and restaurant on east side

Algonquin's village board approved on Tuesday the construction of an automotive car wash, automobile tire store/repair facility and drive-through restaurant with outdoor seating on a three-lot property near the southeast corner of Route 62 and Compton Drive.

Russ Farnum, the village's community development director, said the developers hope to start building this fall.

Because they just received approval from the village Tuesday, the developers are still working on final documents for permits.

"We're just excited about the project, and we welcome new businesses, particularly on the east side of town," Farnum said. "I think just seeing any development over there is a good thing and it helps spur additional investment in other properties along the east Algonquin Road corridor."

The development, planned for 2201 E. Algonquin Road, was initially brought to the planning and zoning commission in December.

According to village documents, the plan is for one lot to be a Goodyear Auto Service and another to be developed into an AutoKleen car wash.

The developer doesn't yet have a restaurant signed for the third lot, Farnum said.

During the meeting, resident Bob Smith said he was concerned about bringing a Goodyear into the area because the Algonquin Auto Clinic also sells Goodyear tires.

"I can appreciate as much as (anyone) the idea of competition, but to have two of the same product side by side, it's not beneficial," he said, adding it could put both stores in a difficult spot.

Village President John Schmitt said it's not really the board's call to say what kind of business goes in, as long as it is appropriate.

"If two competing types of business go into the same area, they typically will have done the demographics and the outreach to find out if it's going to be a viable business, so it's not really our call to tell a business they can't go into our town because there's another one just like it," Schmitt said. "It's up to them to make that decision."