Business & Tech

What's Coming At Dempster and Waukegan?

Prairie View Plaza may or may not be demolished. If it is, it will likely be moved back 25 feet.

 

After the village of Morton Grove last week approved a redevelopment plan for the Dempster Street and Waukegan Road area, including Prairie View Plaza, the question mark hanging over the area is "What next?" 

Alan Saposnik, the development manager and property manager for the owner, Federal Construction, said he's in talks with with businesses interested in locating there.

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"We continue to move forward to get leasing for the property," he said. "We're making progress with a couple of major tenants, but it's not yet close enough to announce."

Earlier:

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Saposnik, of Tower Real Estate Service Ltd. in Skokie, said the first thing is to lease to anchor tenants before filling in with restaurants and smaller businesses.

The existing buildings may or may not be demolished, depending on whether the major tenants are willing to pay the higher rental rates that new construction commands. 

"If tenants will pay new construction rates, our preference is to demolish the existing buildings and build new, starting 25 feet south of the current facade," Saposnik said.

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The extra 25 feet would permit more room for customers to park. There is extra space behind the buildings, which Saposnik described as too large for what's needed for loading docks.

If tenants will not pay new construction rates, the center will get a new facade to make it look new, Saposnik said.

In either case, the parking lot will be resurfaced.

Saposnik said he's continuing to talk to , and would like to stay, but there are also talks with other health clubs. If a health club does eventually locate there, it will likely be smaller and in a different position, he said. 

"The one there today is larger than just about any other in the Chicago marketplace," he observed, adding that health clubs building today would not build that large.

Saposnik said he'd like to add more food places to the center, but is focusing on the anchors first.

The main entrance/exit configuration on Dempster would likely remain the same, but the one to the east of , near the forest preserve, may be reconfigured. Another turn-right-only exit on Dempster may also be added.

If the building is moved south 25 feet, the entrance/exit on Waukegan Road, near the present Dominick's, would also be moved south to align with it, he said.

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