Mt. Prospect has stirred controversy over a plan to overhaul its downtown business district, and the debate is only beginning.
The village wants to relocate longtime businesses and tear down other buildings to make room for a downtown with a new look and a mix of pedestrian-friendly retail and residential structures.
A committee of business, municipal and economic leaders has selected its plan for downtown redevelopment and is poised to complete a draft plan for making over a 4 1/2-block area in the heart of downtown.
“We will meet on Dec. 6 and present the plan to the Village Board,” said committee Chairman Michael Hoffman. “We will listen to and respond to public comments and take the thoughts into mind. Hopefully, the board will take it to heart and start implementing some of the concepts.”
Mt. Prospect could end up spending about $16.4 million to jump-start the redevelopment by acquiring scattered parcels. The village would get back about $8.5 million by selling the property to developers, Finance Director Brian Caputo said.
Though many residents agree that the downtown needs a boost, some landlords and business owners feel a little bowled over by the scope of the village’s plans.
The village has initiated condemnation proceedings for Mt. Prospect’s oldest building–the first post office, on Northwest Highway and Main Street–and three other buildings on Northwest Highway to make room for housing and new commercial spaces.
Meanwhile, at Main Street and Central Road, the downtown committee has proposed building condominiums.
The plan does not sit well with Norb Huecker, whose family has owned a gas and service station in Mt. Prospect for 79 years–20 of them on a corner the village wants to see redeveloped.
“We’ve been in town 79 years, and I plan on being here 100,” Huecker said.
“I don’t remember when they bought my property,” said Huecker, maintaining that the city does not have the right to determine what happens to it.
Village Trustee Dan Nocchi, who sits on the downtown committee, said committee and Village Board members realize that winning over business owners might not be easy.
“It’s my hope that in a positive way we can bring them on board and work pro-actively in a spirit of cooperation for the future of the community,” Nocchi said.
Mt. Prospect or a developer would have to buy about 9 acres of land to make room for the redevelopment. But village officials said their aim is to retain the affected businesses and relocate them.
“We’re not going to buy out everything and start over downtown,” said Bill Cooney, community development director. “The committee wanted to stress that the thriving businesses downtown should be maintained.”
Under the committee’s plan, the village or a developer first would acquire 5 acres in an area bounded by Northwest Highway, Wille and Main Streets and Central Road. Four buildings with retail space, condominiums and parking are envisioned.
Next, Mt. Prospect or a developer would buy land to build row houses on Emerson Street between Busse and Central Roads.
Finally, the Village Hall would be torn down, and a new municipal center would be built across the street, where the senior center stands. The municipal center would have a village green in front and a four-story parking deck in back.
