Cafe part of strip center plans near Barrington High School

A cafe is among the tenants expected in a new strip plaza planned on Barrington's west end.

Construction of the center should launch in mid-spring on a vacant half-acre at 343/345 W. Main St., within walking distance of Barrington High School, said the project's architect, Steve Klumpp.

Klumpp, of AR-K-TEKS Unlimited Ltd. in Wheeling, said the cafe will be part of the initial construction phase, covering 1,738 square feet of the 4,450-square-foot structure on the southeast corner of Main and Lageschulte streets.

"The location should mainly cater to the high school students and parents and improve the looks of that west end of the downtown area, but with more of a neighborhood-compatible residential look than a typical strip center," Klumpp said.

Village officials said the plaza owner will be allowed to combine or divide the remaining 2,712 square feet of space for retail and service uses as necessary.

Greg Summers, Barrington's director of development services, said the area of Main and Lageschulte has gained commercial development. The latest additions include a youth center and art studio.

Summers said the new strip center will have "an upscale residential feel" to blend nicely with the neighborhood.

"It's really an old industrial block," Summers said. "You had a lumber company that was down there. You've still got the (Barrington Transportation Co.) bus depot that's down there. But it's becoming more of a commercial area."

Plans call for full access to the center from Lageschulte and right turns in and out from the Main Street side.

Summers said the site where the plaza will be constructed, now owned by Daniel Kuesis' GG Investment Properties in Schaumburg, became vacant when a building there was demolished in 2015.