What La Grange Officials Frown Upon Downtown

LA GRANGE, IL – La Grange officials generally dislike medical and other professional services on the first floor of downtown buildings.

They want a pedestrian-friendly downtown with stores and restaurants. That is what the village's long-term plan calls for.

The village has made exceptions, such as the Stretch Lab, but officials require a public-facing retail component.

Now, Dr. Alex Georgiou, who has a practice in Orland Park, is seeking a similar exception.

He wants to open on the first floor of the building at 108 W. Calendar Ave. On the top floor, local businessman Dan Spain got approval last year for five short-term rentals on the second story.

The doctor is proposing to include retail sales of beauty and food products on the first floor. A store clerk will be there all the time, he promised.

Last month, the village's Plan Commission reviewed his proposal. Members decided to continue their discussion at a meeting on Tuesday.

At the last meeting, the commission's chairman, Greg Paice, said the doctor's retail component sounds good, according to the minutes. But he also said downtown is so valuable for the community.

Paice said he wished the doctor could find a place in La Grange outside downtown.

Commissioner Jeff Hoffenberg agreed that the village must be protective of its downtown. And he said he wanted to be careful about what a new exception might allow in the future.

But Commissioner Dave Schwartz said any town with a fitness studio, a Brazilian waxing service and an indoor children's playground downtown should be able to allow the doctor's planned business, according to the minutes.

The village's staff is recommending officials reject the proposal because it is inconsistent with the town's long-term plan.

Village President Mark Kucher has called the plan a "terrible idea."

The commission meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Village Hall.