Controversial Clarendon Hills Development Changed

CLARENDON HILLS, IL — Neighbors of the old Tracy's Tavern site in Clarendon Hills have objected to a plan for a 24-hour gas station there. But the developer withdrew that portion of the proposal earlier this month.

Through a public records request, Patch received Hinsdale-based KrohVan LLC's preliminary plan for the southwest corner of Western Avenue and 55th Street, the site of the old bar.

Under the proposal, KrohVan would construct a 6,000-square-foot building. A third of it would be for a restaurant containing Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins franchises, with a drive-thru lane. The rest would be additional retail space. Under the plan, the restaurant would be open from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The plan complies with the village's zoning, except for the drive-thru lane, Jonathan Mendel, the village's community development director, told Patch in an interview.

KrohVan plans to seek an exemption from the village code for the drive-thru. A hearing is planned Jan. 20 at Village Hall for that request.

The development with a Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins is planned for the southwest corner of Western Avenue and 55th Street, where the old Tracy's Tavern building stands. (Google Maps)

In an interview Thursday, Mike Kaspar, KrohVan's director of development, said the original plan with the gas station would have included three requests for zoning exemptions.

"By eliminating the gas station portion, our only request is for the drive-thru," Kaspar said. "Everything else is allowed by zoning."

KrohVan's proposal said the design for the property would create a buffer with the surrounding neighborhood. The developer said the plan would not hamper traffic flow.

As for the retail space, KrohVan has yet to secure a business there, Kaspar said.

Despite the changes, neighbors have objections to the project.

In an email to Patch, Romas Rupinskas, a member of the neighborhood committee opposing the development, said residents are concerned about the safety risks associated with increased traffic from the restaurant's drive-thru. He suggested a residential development or low-traffic business office would be a better use for the site.

"Parts of Western Ave south of 55th Street and 56th Street do not have sidewalks, so people, dogs and kids walk on the street," Rupinskas said. "This is an additional safety concern we have with an increase in traffic in this area... It is our understanding that a traffic study by the county has not been done yet. So how can they proceed without this? The location of this property is not suited for a high volume business."

Rupinskas said other strip malls in the area are completely or mostly vacant.

"Just drive down Cass Avenue toward 63rd Street," he said.

Kaspar said he didn't see vacant strip malls as an issue in Clarendon Hills.

Rupinskas also contended the development would hurt other businesses.

"Usually the major incentive for the village in these types of cases is an increase in tax revenue," he said in the email. "We have serious doubts about the viability of this proposal, as it currently stands, to increase tax revenue. We already have an ice cream shop in town and two coffee shops, with a third under construction. All this will do is take business away from good long-term commercial establishments already in the village."