Greendale board approves amendment to development plan for former Boston Store parcel with conditions

The Village of Greendale on Jan. 29 approved an amendment to the general development plan and the phase 1 precise implementation plan for the former Boston store parcel at 5300 South 76th Street, voting to approve the application from Barrett Lowe Visionary Development subject to engineering and Department of Public Works conditions and completion of a traffic study.

The joint meeting of the Plan Commission and Village Board considered changes to the project that include partial demolition of the Boston store, retention of a Mercantile building of roughly 25,000 square feet adjacent to Southridge Mall, and added below-grade parking intended to increase the overall parking ratio for Phase 1. "Below-grade parking actually gives us more parking than we had before. Our parking ratio has actually increased," one developer representative said during the presentation.

Planning consultant Meredith Perks of Van Du Wall and Associates told the boards her review found the resubmittal addressed prior comments and that the changes do not alter the project's consistency with the comprehensive plan or the planned-development overlay. "From the planning perspective ... we would recommend approval without additional conditions," Perks said.

Jake Scholbe of R.E. Smith, the village engineer, said the engineering review found mainly minor items (profile views, grading and utility elevations) that must be clarified before final engineering approval. Scholbe and staff emphasized that building permits and site work remain contingent on final engineering approval and the results of a traffic study. "This approval should be conditioned on implementation of the results of that traffic study," he said.

During public comment Joan Russ of 5599 Mastermind Street expressed opposition to the project, citing concern about the Village Green, the timing of the traffic impact analysis and the village's future maintenance obligations. "I've been opposed to this since day 1," Russ said, adding she was "surprised that the traffic impact analysis has not been done yet." The applicant's engineering team said a traffic study is underway and a report will be completed and submitted for village review in the coming weeks.

The Plan Commission voted to recommend approval of the amendment with the conditions read into the record (engineer review memo dated 01/29/2026, completion of the traffic study, and DPW director conditions dated 01/29/2026). The Village Board then took the same motion and voted to approve under the same conditions. Plan Commission roll-call votes recorded commissioners Birmingham, Davis and Kramer and President Zabrowski voting aye. The Village Board roll call recorded Trustees Barbier, Unger, McFaul, Olatt and President Zabrowski voting in favor; one trustee was recorded absent.

Next steps specified in staff remarks and the engineer memo include completion of the traffic study, incorporation of DPW director conditions into the developer's agreement (for maintenance and ownership responsibilities of certain facilities), and final engineering review before building permits are issued. The boards authorized demolition work to proceed under those conditions but made clear final site/building permits are contingent on the outstanding engineering and traffic-study items.

At the meeting the boards also acknowledged a departing Planning Commission member and adjourned after confirming upcoming meeting dates.