Palatine studying Northwest Highway corridor for possible redevelopment

Palatine's preliminary study on potential redevelopment of Northwest Highway properties from Hicks Road to just west of Route 53 offers ideas such as the addition of multifamily housing.

The document also notes possible redevelopment hurdles, such as the number of individual property owners in the corridor. For example, there are 23 parcels with 12 owners on a stretch of road near Glencoe Street, which could be a complicating factor if several adjacent sites would be required for a large-scale project.

Officially called the Northwest Highway Corridor Analysis Sub Area Plan - Phase I, the report examined 153 lots totaling about 49 acres. The largest lot is roughly 5 acres and the smallest 327 square feet.One preliminary recommendation is consideration of multifamily residential projects of an "architecturally appropriate scale and density." Such new development could be a transition between commercial areas and existing nearby neighborhoods with single-family houses.

In a review of the preliminary report during a meeting this week, Councilman Kollin Kozlowski said there could be benefits to the single-family properties close to Northwest Highway if taller residential buildings were built in certain sections of the corridor.

"Put a taller building here and you've created a natural buffer of noise," Kozlowski said.

Councilman Tim Millar said he'd be concerned about residential density off Northwest Highway. He added he would not want current business owners forced out due to a redevelopment plan.

"Most (businesses) have been there a long time," Millar said. "You can price them out if you all of a sudden change this into a high-density residential area."

Another tentative recommendation calls for reviewing the potential for more parking in the corridor. Any such parking areas would require significant screening, buffering and separation from residential properties, according to the report. In addition to the number of property owners, other potential challenges noted om the study include pockets of outmoded 1960s-era buildings, high traffic volumes preventing easy pedestrian access and a lack of identifiable retail users to fill existing commercial spaces.

Village council members eventually will be asked to formally approve the study, which would become part of Palatine's comprehensive plan. Village Manager Reid Ottesen said the document would provide specific direction on potential site uses.

Palatine has seen successful Northwest Highway site redevelopment during the past 15 years, the report states. Examples include Starbucks, Glencoe Street Center, Casey Automotive and The Grand at Twin Lakes, a former hotel that became a senior living complex.

Village officials said a commercial redevelopment proposal could be coming soon for three adjoining parcels at the northeast corner of Palatine Road and Northwest Highway. Two of the sites include a Mobil gasoline station that closed in August 2018 after a car crashed into some pumps and the former Teddy's Liquors to the north.