Almost a year after plans were announced to redevelop the former Dominick’s store on McCormick Boulevard in Lincolnwood into a multi-use retail center, only one business has moved in to the property, leaving questions about whether the development will move forward.
Lincolnwood officials gave Pennsylvania-based commercial development firm R&R Global the green light last fall to redevelop and subdivide the 62,000-square-foot vacant former Dominick’s store at Pratt and McCormick boulevards into three separate retail uses.
Discount gym franchise Planet Fitness has since opened a 24-hour fitness center as planned in a 20,000-square-foot space on the north end of the property, but the rest of the parcel is still vacant, with no visible signs of new construction.
Last October, the Village Board approved a development agreement for the property at 6850 McCormick Blvd. that showed three tenants for various possible retail or commercial uses moving into the former Dominick’s building, including the health club.
Another 6,000-square-foot stand-alone building that would house two more retail tenants including a dry cleaner was planned for the east side of the parking lot.
“We are not aware of anything imminent,” said Aaron Cook, development manager for the village of Lincolnwood. “It is my understanding that (R&R Global) continues to market the development.”
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Vague plans for a PetSmart store and an unnamed organic food store were included on the village-approved plans for the property, but Brian Ruck, managing developer for property developer R&R Global had declined to say whether those businesses had signed leases for the development.
At the time the development agreement was approved by the village last year, Ruck also declined to provide a timeframe for the construction period or an anticipated opening date for the retailers.
Multiple attempts to reach Ruck for comment this week were unsuccessful.
Many of the shuttered Dominick’s stores that closed in the Chicago area in 2013 have since reopened as one of a handful of different big-chain grocery retailers including Whole Foods, Mariano’s or Jewel. The Lincolnwood site is one of the few Safeway-owned stores that hasn’t attracted the same interest.
Cermak Fresh Market purchased the property in 2014, according to the village, but plans to open a store there never materialized.
Describing the property as “risky,” Brian Rishforth, managing principal and founder of R&R Global partners, told village officials in July that there was a “significant economic burden” attached to the property.
The village responded by agreeing to a county-issued tax break, which is designed to temporarily reduce the property tax assessment for “abandoned” or “blighted” properties to increase their potential for commercial development.
A stipulation included in the development agreement requires 50 percent or more of the property to be occupied by sales tax-producing retailers.
Natalie Hayes is a freelancer.