Wayfair At Edens Plaza Gets Final Wilmette Village Board Approval

WILMETTE, IL — Village trustees granted final approval to plans to transform the former Carson's store at Edens Plaza into online retailer Wayfair's first brick-and-mortar location.

The Wilmette Village Board voted unanimously at its March 8 meeting to grant variations to allow the installation of new cladding and overhangs, as well as the addition of more than one wall sign per exterior wall.

The ordinance marks the final step needed to allow Wayfair to open at Edens Plaza, according to village staff.

The former site of Carson's, the shopping center's anchor tenant, has been vacant since 2018, and filling it has been a top priority for village officials.

Wayfair and Massachusetts-based developer WS Development first announced redevelopment plans for the the plaza in January.

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Last month, in a pair of unanimous votes, the Zoning Board of Appeals, or ZBA, recommended approval of the variation and the Appearance Review Commission issued a certificate of appropriateness.

The renovation plan calls for the demolition of four commercial storefronts on the east wall of the structure, the relocation of the entrance and the installation of cladding over its exterior, according to staff information presented to the ZBA.

Other parts of the proposal include the addition of a pedestrian promenade and a 50-square-foot glass skylight on the root.

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"It's just an incredibly exciting project for our community and for Edens Plaza. This is going to be transformative for the center and for our residents," Village Manager Michael Braiman said after the village board's vote.

"And it's not just about Wayfair, but it's about the partner we have in WS Development purchasing Edens Plaza. There's really exciting and great things to come," Braiman said. "It may take a couple years to see that all come to fruition, so we ask residents to please be patient, but it's going to be really great when it's complete."

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Jeff Curley, vice president for asset strategy and development at WS Development and Nick Goodner, head of retail real estate for Wayfair, both thanked village staff and commissioners for their collaboration during the process.

"We look forward to a great partnership," Village President Senta Plunkett told the company representatives.

Plunkett said the next steps include issuing building permits and reviewing plans to improve the facades at the rest of the shopping center.