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Vernon Hills board approves conversion allowing medical use at 850 N. Milwaukee Ave., trustees split on retail loss
Summary
Elliott Bay Capital won approval for Ordinance 2025-139 to allow a nonretail (medical) conversion at 850–870 N. Milwaukee Ave.; trustees split over whether the main intersection should retain retail frontage, and the motion passed 4–3 after debate on parking, tenant mix and Hawthorne phase 2.
The Village of Vernon Hills board on Dec. 9 approved Ordinance 2025-139, granting a certificate to permit conversion of a former restaurant suite at 850–870 North Milwaukee Avenue to nonretail use, a move intended to market the space to medical-office tenants.
Director Jennings and representatives from Elliott Bay Capital explained the request. Christian Whipple, identified on the record as CEO of Elliott Bay, said the owners have marketed the combined building as largely medical for several years and that leasing the first-floor suite to another nonretail tenant would align the building’s use and reduce conflicts between restaurant operations and upstairs medical tenants. "The building is currently about 80% medical," Whipple said, adding that owners have invested roughly $600,000 to improve the property.
Several trustees objected, saying the corner is a primary retail corridor and should be preserved for retail users. Trustee Lundin said she opposed converting the corner to medical because she believes it should remain retail: "This is an amazing corner... I believe that it should be retail," she said. Other trustees countered that the property's long vacancy and Hawthorne Mall phase 2 redevelopment change the market dynamics and that medical uses could keep the building active and feed surrounding retail.
Trustees also questioned parking, ingress/egress and whether medical tenants (including large health systems such as Northwestern) were likely to stay if a restaurant returned. Petitioners said parking for the combined building totals roughly 145 spaces and that the owner has pursued a range of tenants, including medical and medical-adjacent users; they also said restaurant tenants have struggled in that suite and that continuing vacancy was a concern.
After public questions and trustee debate the board voted by roll call: Trustee Markworth voted no, Trustee Oppenheim no, Trustee Forster aye, Trustee Schenck aye, Trustee Takahoka aye, Trustee Lundin no, and President Cook aye. The motion carried 4–3.
The ordinance authorizes a certificate of building/use conversion to facilitate marketing the space to medical-office users; petitioners said they will continue to seek tenant types that activate the property and may consider retail-compatible medical-adjacent uses where appropriate. The board did not attach additional conditions beyond the normal permitting process; petitioners said they intend to return with specific tenant plans and potential ingress improvements as part of future applications.
