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Arlington Heights approves planned‑unit development for Arlington Steel expansion at 1727 E. Davis
Summary
The Village Board directed staff to prepare final PUD documents and zoning relief for Arlington Steel’s proposed 11,000‑square‑foot addition; trustees unanimously approved the motion with conditions recommended by staff and the Plan Commission.
The Arlington Heights Village Board on June 16 authorized staff to prepare final documents granting a planned‑unit development (PUD) and zoning relief for Arlington Steel’s proposed expansion at 1727 East Davis Street.
Bill Downey, president and owner of Arlington Structural Steel, outlined plans to add roughly 11,000 square feet for manufacturing and to modernize the facility; he said the expansion would double the company’s on‑site workforce from about 10 to about 20 employees. "I'm trying to expand the amount of steel I can produce at Arlington," Downey told the board.
Planning staff described the property as a 3.2‑acre site with an existing roughly 12,000‑square‑foot building and an unusual long access drive from Davis Street that limits visibility from the right of way. Staff and the Plan Commission supported three variations: waiving a traffic study, waiving landscape‑island requirements, and partially waiving parking‑lot curbing, citing the site's configuration and limited visibility. The Plan Commission also asked the petitioner to properly stripe parking on the nearby Mount Prospect property used under a long‑term lease.
Trustees praised the company's decision to remain and expand in Arlington Heights. Trustee Bertucci moved to direct staff and village counsel to prepare final PUD and zoning documents subject to the recommended conditions; Trustee Schwingbeck seconded. The motion passed unanimously by roll call.
Downey said the business primarily buys raw steel from domestic mills and that truck traffic on Davis Street varies by workload; he told trustees peak activity could involve about one truck a day at busier times but that current operations see far fewer trucks. He also said the company plans to run two shifts (two 8‑hour shifts) rather than the previous 24‑hour schedule and to bring additional welding work in‑house.
Staff advised the petitioner to complete building‑permit drawings promptly; village staff noted approvals are valid for 12 months, giving the company time to obtain permits before construction.
The board’s vote followed the Plan Commission’s recommendation and included standard conditions listed in the meeting packet.
