Burr Ridge leaders may be contemplating a proposed two-hotel development in the next few months, much like they did in 2013.
A couple of yet unnamed hotels have shown interest in creating two 100-room hotels on the vacant 5-acre site at 120 Harvester Drive, part of the Estancia Executive Center, according to an attorney for the property owner.
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Attorney James Olguin appeared before the village’s Plan Commission Feb. 16 seeking an informal review of the proposal. Members of the commission had many concerns about the very preliminary drawings and said public input would weigh heavily in their decision-making regarding the property.
Nearly all seven Plan Commission members were non-committal, many saying they were “sitting on the line” regarding the initial proposal.
“With so many uncertainties, it is difficult to consider an (initial) OK,” said Mary Praxmarer.
“While each commissioner may not have had much to say, it provides us with the guide we need to move forward,” Olguin said. “I did not perceive a resounding ‘no.’ We have heard what you said.”
Greg Trzupek, chairman of the commission, said the bar has been set very high for any proposal for the vacant Harvester Drive site based on the quality developments that have occurred on adjoining properties.
“You will have a high hurdle to get over,” Trzupek said.
Estancia was planned as three office buildings on 15 acres of land. Built in 2005, the first two office buildings both provide about 150,000 square feet of office space. The third building was planned for 2008 and the infrastructure and foundation installed, but the project stalled with a problematic real estate market.
Since that time, Olguin said, the third office building has been marketed on a pre-lease or build-to-suit basis, but with no potential tenant or office purchasers emerging.
Plan Commission member Robert Grela said he is not a fan of informal reviews because “informal seems to morph into formal” in developers’ minds.
In 2003, the Burr Ridge Plan Commission unanimously recommended against a two-hotel proposal for 15W150 S. Frontage Road, just west of County Line Road. Odyssey Hotels had sought to build a Hampton Inn and a Fairfield Inn on the property, but neighbors said the hotels would have increased traffic in their quiet neighborhood, brought strangers to their streets and possibly worsened flooding problems in the area
The Harvester Drive hotels may face similar concerns, Plan Commission members warned, although Olguin said two hotels on the site would have less of an impact on residents than another office building.
“Hotels would have less cut-through traffic, but your points are well taken.” Olguin said. “We will have an increased quality level when we come back. I am hearing that you are OK with the (proposed) planned unit development. We needed that OK at this point.”
Olguin said the property owner has no timeline for when a proposal for the Harvest Drive hotels could be made to the village.
Village Trustee Diane Bolos said residents’ views would be important in her consideration of two more hotels for Burr Ridge.
“I want to hear what questions and input the residents have,” Bolos said. “If they are firmly opposed to it, that is going to weigh big with me.”
Kevin Beese is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.