Palatine should have left it alone. It was a great restaurant there for 30 years....good location, right by the tracks. We went there several times and every year for my birthday. Was so unhappy it had to close in the name of PROGRESS!!!! Yeah right...look at it now, so forlorn.

Palatine needs more quality restaurants. It's already set up with a kitchen so putting a new restuarant there seems to be the most logical use.

What was the real reason for the Village of Palatine forcing the closure. Common sense tells me it wasn't for progress (parking lot), sounds like something personal with someone within the Village. Mia Cucina was a poplar spot and good for the Village to promote other business. I also agree with the other two comments, I enjoyed going there for the food and the ambiance. One of the previous owners opened a new restaurant in Hoffman Estates at the intersection of Huntington and Algonquin. I say leave it as a memorial for an example for the Village keeping there hands out of private enterprise.

Good morning, love the interaction on this topic. I agree, a nice sit down restaurant would be a great addition. To Patricia and Frank's comments: Village Manager Reid Ottesen was interviewed about the purchase of this property back in 2010 by former editor Brian Slupski. Ottesen said the owners of Mia Cucina approached the village about selling the property. http://palatine.patch.com/articles/village-hires-broker-for-mia-cucina-property

Maybe they can turn it in to a live poultry shop for back yard chicken lovers?

I think it was sad that the Mia Cucina people decided they no longer wanted to have a restaurant in Palatine and then sold it to the village for 2.2 million(nice chunk of change). The village on the other hand bought it, but just let it sit. I think Palatine would benefit with a restaurant like Orange in Chicago. It would be nice to have a trendy breakfast place that didn't feel like a hurry up and eat diner.

I'll asked the previous owner what really happened - tonight. I agree another restaurant similar to Mia Cucina ambiance would be nice.

fire fighting training site then...bonfire!!!

Reopen Mia Cucina :)

We are encouraged to shop downtown Palatine but there really isn't anywhere to do much shopping. How about a small "Mall" with different shops that would be of use to people that live in that area? Another restaraunt like Mia Cucina's would also be nice. It's been a long time looking at that forlorn building. It's time to bring something to that piece of property besides peeling paint and disrepair.

If Palatine paid as much attention to its village as it does to the Rt.14 and Rt. 12 corridors, perhaps this prime location wouldn't have sat vacant for six years. Not to mention the vacant spaces in the giant Gothic building a block east. Someone who can sell Palatine's value on the train line needs to step up and fill these spaces. Mia Cucina's space should definitely remain a restaurant - still has better atmosphere closed than most other spots in town.

How about an international coffeehouse (in the a.m. hours) and a wine bar (in the p.m. hours). I would envision a wonderful array of global perspectives in the form of newspapers; video conferences with Palatine's Sisiter City in France and other global communities. The locale could offer introductory language classes, weekly travel presentations, culinary classes, and occasional wine tastings. Bring the world to dtwn Palatine.

Tatoo Parlor? Pawn Shop?

Ben, enjoy that by yourself. Burn baby burn.

How about the village keep it and use it as a location to help promote the arts in Palatine. Small theater, art exhibits, craft and antique shows, kids programs. The village needs a draw in the down town area to balance out the restaurants that are currently there. Yes I am a restaurant/tavern owner, and the answer is not another restaurant unless you can bring more business downtown to sustain all the food related businesses that the village has allowed to open. We won't all survive. Another small sandwich shop is opening in the near future. With out more foot traffic in the downtown area, the exisiting restaurants will not survive. The village needs to add diversity to it's development plan and make Palatine a place to visit for reasons other than eatting and drinking. I say support the arts; it's good for all ages! - and then you can use it for Farmer's Market in the colder months!

I didn't read all the comments, so hope not duplicating, but I think it would be amazing if there was a book store + restaurant area, soft of where borders meets corner bakery. A place for people to hand out while waiting for the train, have lunch or even dinner, yet interact with something when alone. It could draw people in, which would attract business down town palatine so desperately needs.

The village should take a look at Arlington Hts and pay attn. The resturants there bring in a lot of business to the area. Need more business savy village officuials.
The spot should be a popular and unique resturant kind of like Mia Cucina.

The Board (Palatine) bought up the downtown, put up condo's
Made some rich and they left
Most of them are empty
They wanted to close Dobby's, this keeps people in town
Maybe think and plan, help what is left
Ask the people

Barnes and Noble would be awesome

I would like to see a convenience store where one can walk to for daily staples such as milk, bread, magazines, etc. It would be perfect for the commuters. They can get off the train, walk to buy whatever, and then be on there way home. So many residents love walking or riding their bikes so this would be closer and easier to get to than Jewel or even the 7-Eleven.

A reasonably priced restaurant, something like Moretti's would be nice. We need a decent restaurant to get pizza downtown.

I loved the Mia Cucina atmosphere; I think primarily because of the beautiful (and now rare) barrel trusses. I believe this site was the first Jewel Tea Company building in Palatine (?) It would be a shame to demolish it....one of the oldest in the town.

How about a BAKERY??? We need one...

Bakery, restaurant, book store, arts...Palatine needs it all! Like Vince said, take a look at Arlington Heights, they need to hire that developer because he got it right. Palatine has such potential and we have been waiting but they seem to keep missing. So much can and needs to be done but they keep buying property, like the repair shop on Palatine Rd and Plum Grove Rd and do nothing with it.

As a downtown resident I would love to see that building saved. A great breakfast and nice lunch place.would be nice. No fast foods. Like Egg Harbor maybe. And books, books, books and newspapers and magazines and staples to buy when getting off or on the train. And coffee bar and maybe a wine bar with some live music in P.M. or poetry readings. Maryann

The Village never forced Mia Cuccina to close...they were having problems paying their bills and their employees...they wanted out...it was unfortunate because I too really enjoyed going there ...the atmosphere and the people were wonderful...

We need to face facts. “Downtown palatine " is Northwest Highway. It has small malls, restaurants and other store that people actually frequent. We should slow down the traffic on NWHY, put in more crosswalks and maybe rename it Main Street. Problem solved.

The village shouldn't have kicked Mia Cucina out in the first place. They (the village) had it in their minds that they wanted to tear it down and build more condos. Palatine needs more condos as much as they need more banks. Which is NOT AT ALL! It was wrong to force Mia Cucina's to close in the first place. Palatine lost a wonderful downtown restaurant. Too bad we can't just bring Mia Cucina back.