Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Romeoville board reviews three new commercial concept plans, including a family‑owned grocer and a 7 Brew drive‑through
Loading...
Summary
The Village Board heard concept plans for a 17,000 sq ft La Hacienda grocer with a 2,500 sq ft restaurant, a 6,500 sq ft multi‑tenant retail pad and a drive‑through 7 Brew conversion of the former Freddy’s at 440 S. Weber Road. Staff and applicants said site design, signage and landscaping will be finalized in subsequent reviews.
The Village of Romeoville Board on Feb. 18 reviewed three commercial concept plans that would add a full‑service grocer, multiple retail units and a drive‑through coffee shop along the Weber Road corridor.
Planner Michael Potter introduced Project 260734, a La Hacienda Group concept for the southwest corner of Creekside Drive and Weber Road. Potter said the 1.8‑acre, B‑3 zoned site would host a 17,000‑square‑foot grocery, a 2,500‑square‑foot restaurant and two north‑facing retail tenants totaling 2,769 square feet. "They have a total of 81 parking spaces, which exceeds the required 74 spaces based on floor area," Potter said. He added that exterior materials will be “mostly brick and stone” and that site lighting, signage and landscaping will be addressed in the final development plan.
A representative of the applicant, identifying the group as La Siena, described the grocer’s emphasis on fresh, in‑house butcher service and weekly produce deliveries. "Everything is fresh, quality products for our communities," the representative said.
Trustees asked about the restaurant component and whether the business would pursue a liquor license. The applicant said the in‑store restaurant would be a taqueria‑style concept and confirmed plans to apply for a liquor license for a reservation‑style speakeasy area.
The board also reviewed Project 260735, a 6,500‑square‑foot retail building on a 1.3‑acre pad in the Creekside South subdivision. Potter said the building would contain four tenant spaces and a drive‑through restaurant on the south end cap; proposed materials include masonry with stone columns and canopies. Planning and zoning and the development review committee provided standard site‑design comments on Feb. 10, Potter said.
Separately, the board heard a concept plan, Project 260736, to convert the former Freddy’s at 440 S. Weber Road into a 7 Brew drive‑through franchise. A 7 Brew representative described the drive‑through as double‑lane with employees taking orders on tablets and hand‑delivering drinks at a double set of sliding doors rather than using exterior menu boards. Potter said staff expects the changes to require an amendment to the existing planned unit development and anticipated the project returning quickly for final approval with a potential construction start in May and an opening by September.
No formal approvals were taken for the concept plans; Potter said staff will work through review comments and return later with final development plans and signage packages. The board expressed general enthusiasm for the proposed investments along the corridor and for the prospect of new daily‑use retail and food options for residents.
The board’s next steps are standard: applicants will address planning and development review comments and return with final submittals for formal approvals.
