Palatine's Speedy Citgo Plans Progressing

Palatine has hired a consultant to assess any environmental remediation that must be done to the Speedy Citgo gas station property at 5 W. Palatine Road.

The village hired Shaw Environmental to complete a report that will be submitted to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA). Palatine Deputy Village Manager Mike Jacobs said the building on the property should come down sometime this summer. Beyond that, the future of the property is unknown.

"No decision has been made for the long-term use of the property," Jacobs said. "No decision has been made regarding whether the property will be returned to open space or possibly sold in the future."

Palatine Patch the land was going to be converted to open space based on information contained in a village council packet. Regardless, Jacobs said the village council has not made a final decision about the property's long-term future.

The 0.37 acre property, located at the intersection of Plum Grove Road and Palatine Road, cost about $1.2 million to acquire. Federal grant money was used to pay for part of the acquisition cost because it was a consequence of the Palatine Road construction project.

Part of the property had to be acquired for the road construction project. The acquisition was going to severely impact the Speedy Citgo station–such as the loss of the gas station's pumps–and the property owner wanted Palatine to buy the entire property.

Jacobs said some of the cost also was paid for with money from Palatine's TIF District.

A portion of the purchase price, $450,000, was placed in an escrow account and will be used to deal with any environmental or clean up costs associated with the property. For example, the village will have to remove undergound tanks.