Business & Tech

Dunkin Donuts, Jersey Mike's Proposed at Northwest Highway and Smith Street

A new development plan was proposed, and approved by the Palatine Zoning Board of Appeals on Tuesday for the property located just west of the intersection of Northwest Highway and Smith Street.

The Palatine Zoning Board of Appeals Tuesday unanimously approved a new development plan to build a four-unit shopping center at 205-207 W. Northwest Highway. It would include a Dunkin Donuts with a drive-through, a Jersey Mike's Subs restaurant and 2 retail spaces that have not yet been been leased. 

The property, which was subdivided in 1995 and has been vacant for the last 18 years, is located near the southwest corner of Northwest Highway and Smith Street.

If ultimately approved by the village council, the new development would be located adjacent and virtually in the middle of BMO Harris Bank, Fortune Cookie Restaurant, Maaco and McDonald's. 

A similar plan was proposed more than a year ago, which included a 7,700 square foot development including a Starbucks and a Charley's Grilled Subs restaurant, in addition to two more retail spaces.

It was rejected 4-3 by the village council in January of 2012

The plan, which also included a drive-through for the Starbucks, received considerable criticism over its size and concerns relating to a perceived influx in traffic near the already congested intersection. 

The new proposal has been scaled down approximately 1,000 feet. Based on testimony at the zoning board meeting, extensive traffic studies have been completed both by the village and an outside firm, to ensure that traffic flow will be optimal and added congestion, nominal. 

The layout would include a west entrance, adjacent to the McDonald's entrance off of Northwest Highway, which would allow motorists to exit west and east onto Northwest Highway. 

Another existing entrance located closer to Smith Street west of the bank, still would allow only a right turn in, and right turn out off of Northwest Highway. 

An additional entrance to the development would be on Smith Street where BMO Harris and Fortune Cookie customers normally enter through. 

Two people came before the zoning board to testify against the proposal, citing continued concerns about the increase in traffic, despite information presented by the petitioner testifying the effect would be negligible.

Nilax Patel of RESA Construction, a designer on the project, said additional traffic will not be brought into the area. 

"These businesses will be capturing existing traffic, we're picking up traffic that is already on Northwest Highway," Patel said. 

The measure will now go before the Palatine Village Council for approval on August 5. 



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