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Staff report: Orphans of the Storm expansion, FetLife site demolition and local retail updates
Summary
Director Witt reported updates on several projects, including a tentative March schedule for an Orphans of the Storm clinic expansion, demolition timelines for the FetLife project site, interest from a bakery at Colonial Court, ongoing delays at a vacant shopping center, and a possible buyer for 240 Saunders.
Director Witt updated the commission on several active and potential projects during the Jan. 6, 2025 meeting.
Witt said the only project currently expected to reach the commission soon is an expansion for the Orphans of the Storm clinic; staff held a preliminary meeting with the applicant and consultants and tentatively placed the case on the commission calendar for March, though Witt said the applicant had not yet submitted formal drawings.
On the FetLife project site, Witt reported that demolition bids were opened and that staff will make a recommendation to the Village Board on Jan. 21. If the board approves the recommended contractor, Witt said the contractor could mobilize the week of Jan. 28 with demolition of the building structure and reservoir expected to be completed by the end of March. He said areas of the site that are leveled may be seeded with woodland mix if the fire district does not proceed immediately with its project; shortly after demolition staff expects to begin excavation for a detention basin.
Witt also told commissioners that a bakery is pursuing a space in Colonial Court (the southeast corner site behind State Farm) and that the utilization of that space will require further architectural submissions. He reviewed longstanding issues at the vacant shopping center that includes the former Panera area, explaining repeated complications over fire‑alarm panels and shop drawings and noting that landlord and tenant decisions have delayed reuse of at least two bays.
Regarding 240 Saunders (the Center for Holistic Health site), Witt said staff has been told there is a buyer under contract who may be an affiliate of a synagogue using a nearby house on Saunders; the buyer has said it intends to repurpose the building for Hebrew‑school and after‑school educational uses. Witt said staff will prepare a text amendment to allow the particular educational/assembly use in the Office and Research Compatible district and that the amendment will be noticed for the Feb. 6 plan commission meeting.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions about the shopping center vacancy and the parking and fire‑alarm issues; Witt described lengthy prior interactions with the landlord and contractors and said he is awaiting corrected shop drawings and fire‑alarm submittals before further progress can occur.
Witt prefaced his report with a candid remark about workload: “this is some kind of keeping me occupied. I can go on all night,” a comment commissioners accepted with abbreviated discussion. No formal actions were taken on the staff items during the meeting; the items were reported for information and for future commission review where appropriate.
