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Council advances Wendy’s plan at The Springs toward action after staff recommendation
Summary
City staff and the developer presented final plans to subdivide a 2.76-acre outlot at The Springs at Lockport and build a 2,152-square-foot Wendy’s with a drive‑thru; the council moved the item to be taken as an action item at a future meeting rather than approving it that night.
City staff and the applicant presented a plan to amend The Springs at Lockport development to create three lots from an existing 2.76‑acre outlot and build a 2,152‑square‑foot Wendy’s with a drive‑through; the council voted to take the matter up as an action item at a future meeting rather than vote on final approval that night.
The proposal would resubdivide Lot 2 of The Springs at Lockport to create Lots 1–3 and place the Wendy’s on the westernmost new lot adjacent to Adleman Drive and 150 Ninth Street. Staff described a site with the drive‑through wrapping the west and north sides of the building, parking on the east, an outdoor seating area with a protective fence, and a monument sign that would also advertise the larger Springs commercial area. Lance Theis, Economic Development Director, presented the staff recommendation and technical details; staff said sidewalk construction along Adleman Drive will be handled by a fee‑in‑lieu so the city can build a continuous sidewalk as adjoining parcels develop rather than pursue immediate IDOT approvals.
Why it matters: the site sits at the western edge of a larger phased commercial build‑out and involves significant grade changes and retaining‑wall work that affect circulation, pedestrian access and future roadway intersections. Staff told the council the roadway geometry at 150 Ninth Street was designed to accommodate a future traffic signal at the Springs entrance; staff said additional property and design work would be needed to deliver that signal.
Developer Richard B. Silverman, representing MJK Real Estate Holding Company, told the council his team has submitted civil plans and aims to start construction within months. “My goal would be to break ground in the next, 2 months here, and Wendy’s would like to be open by year end,” Silverman said.
Council members pressed staff and the applicant on vehicle queuing, pedestrian crossings and how the sidewalk will connect at the IDOT‑controlled right of way. Staff confirmed the sidewalk will end near the corner under existing conditions and that a future, coordinated project would reconfigure the intersection to provide continuous pedestrian flow; staff also said planned private‑road sidewalks will run the length of the internal drive and that some internal north–south connections may be added as additional parcels are developed. The project will require extensive retaining walls because the site drops roughly 25 feet from top to bottom.
Staff recommended approving the subdivision and final development plans with conditions and told the council the architecture meets the city’s masonry and design standards; the applicant said portions of the building will use thin brick veneer consistent with other recent Lockport projects. Staff also noted signage and landscaping meet current requirements. The council did not vote on the ordinance that night; instead members agreed to treat the package as an action item at the next meeting so members could call it up for a full vote.
Next steps: the item will return as an action item for a future council meeting for a formal vote. If approved, staff projected the city could issue permits and the applicant could begin site work; the developer told the council he is under contract or in negotiation for adjacent parcels and expects additional phases to follow.
