Eatery to expand, but how much?
Javier Villarreal wants his expanded restaurant open before Cinco de Mayo next year, and he'd like a sea of diners sipping margaritas outside when it is.
The Arlington Heights plan commission recently approved Villarreal's project to expand La Chicanita at 200 N. Dunton Ave. in downtown Arlington Heights.
"It's about time," said plan commissioner Stan Eisenhammer. "I don't like waiting so long for a table."
Commissioners also voiced support for a larger outdoor dining section along Miner Street, even though village planners are against the idea.
Villarreal's plan includes having outdoor dining for 24 people along the private section of Miner Street. Originally, Villarreal wanted to have outdoor dining for 60 people on both sides of the sidewalk, including the public portion.
However, village planners didn't like the idea of serving alcohol on a public sidewalk, so Villarreal scaled down the outdoor dining plan. But plan commissioners liked Villarreal's first plan and said village planners should reconsider.
"There are too many rules," said George Drost, chairman of the plan commission. "This would be an attractive extension to downtown. We need to think more progressively."
Plan Commissioner Michael Wolfe agreed.
"We have enough lawyers on this commission and on the village board to figure out a way to make the village appropriately held harmless," Wolfe said.
Eisenhammer called the rule "an arbitrary restriction."
Villarreal said he will stick with the smaller outdoor seating plan for now, but "would totally and absolutely" be in favor of having a larger seating area.
According to the Downtown Master Plan, Miner Street should be closed between Dunton Avenue and Northwest Highway for an open public parkway. It would be right in front of Villarreal's new restaurant entrance and outdoor dinning section.
However, there are no plans to close that part of Miner at this time, said Village Planner Matt Dabrowski.
After the expansion, Villarreal will rename the restaurant Javier's -- because, he said, most people can't pronounce La Chicanita. The expansion will increase Villarreal's seating area from 118 to 185.
Villarreal also wants to remodel Javier's outside to feature a Spanish Mission-style exterior. The entrance would be moved from Dunton Avenue to Miner Street.
He also wants to keep the restaurant open later -- until 11 p.m. during the week and 1 a.m. during the weekends.
The restaurant will not change its menu nor will it be closed during construction.
The village board is scheduled to vote on the project Nov. 5.