The Wilmette Village Board approved two zoning variations requested by WS Development, the Massachusetts-based real estate firm set to purchase the Edens Plaza shopping center, further paving the way for a Wayfair big-box store in the region.
“This is an exciting day for Wilmette,” Village President Senta Plunkett said at the March 8 Village Board meeting.
WS representatives announced in January the company’s intention to purchase the prominent shopping center, with e-commerce retailer Wayfair set to move into the former 152,000 square-foot building formerly occupied by Carson Pirie Scott department store.
In addition to some appearance changes, WS intends to raze the retail spaces directly to the east and connected to the Carson’s building, allowing for a new entrance to the Wayfair building. The real estate company plans to open the store sometime in 2023, according to village documents.
“This is going to be transformative for the center and our residents,” said Village Manager Michael Braiman. “It may take a couple of years for it all to come to fruition, so we ask residents to please be patient, but it is going to be really great when it is complete.”
WS Development is purchasing the shopping center from Newport Capital Partners. Peter Friedman, a local attorney representing WS, said he expects that transaction to close next month.
Friedman said WS is now expected to seek building permits for the project and company officials are set to appear before the village’s Appearance Review Commission for final approval of exteriors of the non-Wayfair portion of the plaza, including improvements to facade. He explained that the goal is to have construction and renovations starting later this year.
WS, whose properties are mostly in the Boston area, is moving into the Midwest with the Edens Plaza purchase at a time when shoppers are migrating to online platforms.
Yet, WS Vice President Jeffrey Curley believes there are still many consumers anxious to go to stores.
“WS still feels very strongly about brick-and-mortar retail,” he said. “It has been the core of our business for a very long time, and we still see a lot of things that are attractive about it. It is evolving and we think we are on the cutting edge of that evolution.”
Curley did not announce any leases with retailers besides Wayfair, but he said the company hopes to keep many of the plaza’s existing tenants.
One question WS officials may have to answer is whether they want to offer a lease to a cannabis dispensary, as last year the Village Board approved a zoning regulation change allowing a dispensary to operate inside the plaza.
“It’s too early for us to make a proclamation on that, one way or the other,” Curley said. “We wouldn’t close that door.”
Braiman said after the meeting village officials have so far not been contacted by a dispensary expressing interest in moving into Edens Plaza.
Wayfair’s Head of Real Estate Nick Goodner spoke briefly at the meeting, thanking village officials.
“This will be our first Wayfair-branded store and we’re incredibly excited about that,” he said after the meeting.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelancer.
