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Buffalo Grove board approves Clove amendment to allow Whole Foods with ancillary fulfillment area, extends construction deadline
Summary
The village approved amendments letting Whole Foods lease the 43,000-square-foot Clove grocery space (split 35,000 sq ft retail, 8,000 sq ft fulfillment/storage), and extended Kensington's substantial-completion deadline to June 30, 2027 (plus a possible 90-day extension). One trustee voted no on the RDA amendment.
The Buffalo Grove Village Board on June 15 approved amendments to the Clove Planned Unit Development (PUD) and redevelopment agreement (RDA) to allow Whole Foods Market to lease the planned 43,000-square-foot grocery building and to permit a connected ancillary fulfillment and storage area.
Nicole (village staff) said the amended RDA and PUD will continue to require a national-brand grocery tenant in the 43,000-square-foot building but will allow an ancillary fulfillment or storage use directly related to grocery operations. She told trustees the changes respond to Amazon Fresh halting construction and discontinuing expansion plans; Kensington Partners has since negotiated a lease with Whole Foods.
Under the proposed configuration, Whole Foods would occupy 35,000 square feet for the retail store and about 8,000 square feet for fulfillment and storage tied to the grocer’s operations. The amendments also extend Kensington’s deadline for substantial completion from June 30, 2026, to June 30, 2027, with the potential for a 90-day extension.
Trustee Widenfeld raised objections about how small the anchor grocery could become and questioned whether the village should accept an 81% sizing outcome compared with the originally bargained-for 43,000 square feet. "I want to know how small the supermarket could be ... because I don't think if I pay my taxes I can pay 81% of my taxes and get the full services," Trustee Widenfeld said, pressing staff for clarity on minimum size and developer obligations.
Trustee Cesario urged the board to facilitate the change given market shifts, saying the shift from Amazon Fresh to Whole Foods is a pragmatic response to circumstances beyond the village’s control. "We wanted an anchor grocer ... life happens, things change, we roll with the change," Cesario said.
Kensington representative John Shottish was present to answer questions; attorney Larry Freeman also attended on behalf of the project. The board approved the RDA amendment by recorded voice roll call; the clerk recorded Trustee Johnson, Trustee Richards, Trustee Cerio, Trustee Ottenheimer and Trustee Rochek as voting in favor and Trustee Widenfeld as voting no. The motion carried.
The board also approved a related minor PUD amendment tied to the same development actions.
Next steps for the project include final legal review consistent with the approved amendments and continued coordination between village staff and the developer on plan details and the construction schedule.
