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Plan and Design Commission approves Armarts rebrand and additional illuminated wall sign at Park Avenue West Shell station
Summary
The Highland Park Plan and Design Commission on April 7 approved a design review and amended sign package allowing a convenience‑store rebrand at 1411 Park Avenue West and the addition of an internally illuminated wall sign; the 6‑0 vote grants an exception to the city’s typical facade sign calculation.
The Highland Park Plan and Design Commission on April 7, 2026 approved a design review and an amended sign package permitting a rebrand of the convenience store at 1411 Park Avenue West and an additional internally illuminated wall sign facing Skoi Valley Road (Highway 41).
Planner Anthony Mstretta told the commission the proposal leaves the fuel canopy branded as Shell while the convenience store exterior would be repainted and rebranded as Armarts/Armorarts. Staff said the amendment replaces two existing north and south “Food Mart” wall signs with slightly larger static signs and adds a third illuminated sign on the west facade facing the highway.
The approval matters because staff’s calculations show the existing total wall sign area is roughly 92.7 square feet and the proposed total would be about 108.1 square feet, exceeding the typical 15%‑of‑facade allowance used under city code (staff cited a 15% example of 73.8 sq ft for the north/south facades and 43.2 sq ft for the west facade). Staff said the extra sign would only be permitted by the PDC decision, which is why the package required Commission approval.
Ryan Rosowski, identified as president of Armorarts LLC, said the redesign is the first major investment on the property since its 1995 redevelopment and is intended to keep the site competitive with larger operators. "Our goal with this exterior redesign is to stay competitive with large corporate run operators," Rosowski said, and he added the business plans to offer fresh food, bagels made daily and to overhaul the store’s existing restrooms, calling the latter a public service for highway travelers.
Staff also noted the ground fuel/price sign is existing and will remain unchanged; its inclusion in the amended package is for completeness rather than to alter the existing fuel signage. Planner Mstretta referenced chapter and section sign standards (section 150.2030) and explained the Commission’s authority to make a final decision on the sign package amendment.
Commissioner Moore moved to approve the design review and amended sign package; Commissioner Inek seconded. The Commission took a roll‑call final decision: Chair Kersh, Commissioner Inek, Commissioner Fentner, Commissioner Henry, Commissioner Mantis and Commissioner Moore voted yes and the motion carried 6‑0.
The decision authorizes the Armarts/Armorarts branding and the additional illuminated wall sign as presented. The approval is final action by the PDC on DEES 20250090; the record includes staff drawings and a draft certificate of approval available in the application packet.
