Walgreens Gets Nod From Downers Grove; Vote Not Unanimous

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — Downers Grove Village Council voted Tuesday to approve construction of a Walgreens store in the Meadowbrook Shopping Center, but not all the commissioners were in agreement. The measure was approved by just a 4-3 vote. The new Walgreens retail location will be located at 2001 63rd Street and will replace the Walgreens at 63rd and Belmont.

The main opposition came from council members who were concerned about the design and appearance of the Walgreens store, which will be in a prominent position and is intended to revive the struggling shopping center. Commissioner Nicole Walus was the first to bring up the issue of the proposed building's aesthetic appearance. “Walgreens is going to be the cornerstone of the Meadowbrook Shopping Center," she said, raising concerns about the buildings durability.

Walus proposed a motion to delay voting until the council could negotiate a more appealing design with Walgreens, but that motion was not approved.

Commissioner Margaret Earl also opposed the design saying “I think it looks cheap" and adding that the hope was “that Walgreens would be the shining jewel of the corner and that everything would be wanting to redevelop around it with a nice look.”

Commissioner William Waldack, who voted against the Walgreens development along with Walus and Earl, mentioned that Walgreens stores frequently move and leave behind abandoned buildings. “I think [the Walgreens store] will be an improvement but it’s not going to be the savior of the shopping center.”

Other council members asserted that the building design should have nothing to do with a zoning approval. That issue is “far afoot of what our focus” is, Commissioner Bob Barnett said. “It’s a privately funded private property development that fits within our code.” Barnett's sentiments were supported by other council members.

Earl responded by saying that she “didn’t think it was out of line to ask for something in return” for giving Walgreens a special use permit and granting the construction.

In the end, the village council voted 4 to 3 to allow the construction of Walgreens. An additional measure to allow for improvements to Meadowbrook Shopping Center's facade and parking lot was also approved. No comments from the community or audience

No details were given on when the renovations are set to begin. Roundhead's Pizza Pub, which currently occupies the space where Walgreens will be built, will relocate to 75th and Fairview next month.

>>Image via GoogleMaps