An ice skating rink at Burr Ridge Village Center is planned for next holiday season as part of efforts to draw more people to the shopping area.
While pleased with the marketing plan, village officials are anxious to see the shopping area also draw more tenants as sales tax helps fund municipal services.
Kristy Tramontana, general manager of Village Center, gave members of the Burr Ridge Economic Development Committee an update Tuesday on the village’s biggest shopping area. She noted that overall sales at Village Center were up 3.6 percent when comparing December 2015 to December 2014, with restaurants keying that growth.
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Without the restaurants, however, sales in the village’s downtown area were flat, she said.
The number of eating establishments in Village Center could continue to grow, Tramontana said.
“We are looking at bringing a restaurant into the Coldwater Creek space,” she said.
Coldwater Creek closed in 2014 when the company filed for bankruptcy.
Tramontana said traffic at the center was up 23 percent when comparing December 2015 to December 2014.
More than $2 million in improvements are underway at the center, including a fireplace, to make a more inviting environment.
Part of the effort to draw people this year will be a holiday ice skating rink at the north end of the village green, just north of the fountain. There will be a charge for individuals to take to the ice.
“There will be a warming house and people will be able to rent skates,” Tramontana said.
Opening day for skating is expected to be Nov. 19, which is also the date of Jingle Mingle, the village’s kickoff to the holiday season.
Other events planned at the shopping area for 2016 include:
* Yoga on the Green, which will expand to be a summer-long program. Last year, it was just conducted during June
* A Valentine’s Day gift with purchase program
* An Earth Day program, including unveiling local schoolchildren’s leaf creations on recycled paper displayed on a banner near Design Bar at Brandy’s
* Sip, Shop and Give, which generates money for charity
* A wine-tasting around Mother’s Day
* A craft beer tasting and golf clinic around Father’s Day.
Tramontana said the goal is for the center at 90 percent occupancy by the end of 2017.
“If decisions go right on things, we could be closer to 80 or 85 percent in a couple months,” Tramontana said.
The center’s general manager said one of the obstacles in attracting tenants is the shopping area’s proximity to Oak Brook Center.
“Stores shouldn’t be avoiding Village Center because of Oak Brook,” committee member Sheryl Kern said. “I like coming to shop at Village Center because it is not Oak Brook.”
Mayor Mickey Straub said the easy access to Interstate 55 should be able to draw more shoppers and tenants to Burr Ridge.
“We have the best location in the state,” Straub said.
Tramontana said there are negotiations in the works with establishments that may need some zoning approval from the village because of building out existing space.
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Village administrator Steve Stricker said with the permitting process and build-out time required, action needs to be taken soon to ensure things happen by the end of the year.
“Within two or three months, you are looking at businesses opening by Christmas time,” Stricker said.
The village administrator said the center never being fully occupied during its 10 years of existence is a disappointment to the village.
Not having more sales tax generated by the shopping center “means more money from our residents,” Stricker said. “It is very frustrating.”
Kevin Beese is a freelance writer for Pioneer Press.