Willows Crossing at the corner of Pfingsten and Willow Roads is a go.
Developer plus applicant GW Properties was successful in obtaining a supermajority vote by the Glenview Village Board of Trustees at a special board meeting on Jan. 5.
The measure passed with final approval after three hours of debate with an early meeting start. The duration included comments from audience members and Glenview neighbors who filled the Burnham board room.
Trustees Adam Sidoti and Gina DeBoni voted no on the final approval to align with “no” votes they cast on Dec. 6 at the ordinance’s first reading. Glenview Village President Michael Jenny did not need to cast a second reading vote on Jan. 5 because Willows Crossing passed on its own via supermajority requirement.
However, Jenny did break a tie twice on motions for two amendments to the ordinance by Sidoti and DeBoni, and the attempts failed on the 4 to 3 tiebreaker vote. DeBoni restated concerns about safe parking lot circulation.
‘This is still the best of the worst,” DeBoni said. “I think we took it as far as we could but it’s just not enough.”
To Pioneer Press, immediately after the favorable vote, “We’re excited to get this project off the ground and get this project completed,” said Mitch Goltz, principal/owner of GW Properties, adding that, “a lot of new businesses” will now come to the community.
Construction will start, “hopefully in the spring,” Goltz told Pioneer Press.
The property at 2660 Pfingsten Road has long raised the ire of Glenview neighbors, most whose homes border the land, but also among residents living elsewhere in Glenview or Northbrook.
The property was once proposed to be a grocery store with potentially busy truck loading dock access but that was nixed.
Then ultimately came the five building Willows Crossing proposal by the developer which includes an early childhood learning center. Debate about the day care center included how safe drop off would realistically be during peak rush hours in a limited space parking lot that shares access with a future medical building.
The north side of the property, where the Willows Crossing development will be, is commercial zoning. The open space on the south is residential zoned and buffers home backyards.
To Pioneer Press, Jenny said after the favorable vote, “I think that it’s always a good idea to recognize property rights and to take redevelopment opportunities through the public review process where we can take into consideration the New Development Commission’s deliberations, public feedback, expert opinions and trustees’ research.
“And once all of the people have been given an opportunity to ring in, I’m pleased to see that the public review process worked and generated the outcome that it did, irrespective of what that outcome was,” Jenny said.
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“My focus on the process is making sure everybody feels heard and listened to.”
During the meeting, it was revealed that a pending lawsuit filed by GW Properties would be dropped by the developer against the village if a vote on Jan. 5 approved Willows Crossing.
The developer (GW Properties) filed a lawsuit against the village in the summer of 2021, “and as part of the hearing process, the attorney representing the developer indicated that they would withdraw if there was approval of their ordinance,” Glenview Village Manager Matt Formica said.
Formica further stated emails were exchanged on the afternoon of Jan. 5 between attorneys for GW Properties and Village of Glenview, “indicating that they would be willing to do that (drop the lawsuit).”
A past lawsuit by neighbors, “has been resolved,” Formica also told Pioneer Press.
When the audience speaker portion began at the meeting, a uniformed Glenview police officer stood in the boardroom doorway, by happenstance or maybe as a message to those present that inappropriate behavior would not be tolerated.
Glenview neighbor Randy Silver of Chester Drive, who lives within walking distance of Willows Crossing, responded to news of the developer’s offer to drop the lawsuit.
“You’re cowering, this project is a disaster for the traffic and the safety of this neighborhood,” Silver said to the board during Silver’s turn at the podium.
“We expect better, we expect wisdom from you and not to cower to Mitch (Goltz).
“It’s disgusting,” Silver said. “You’re better than that. You’re throwing that entire neighborhood to the wolves.”
Jenny repeatedly warned the audience to remain respectful, and indicated when overt guffawing was heard in the audience, that persons would be removed from the meeting if needed.
“Let’s be kind,” Jenny told the audience. “Or I’m going to have to ask you to leave the room.”
Trustee Chuck Gitles said, whose term is up in May, “The way many in the community have engaged with us over the past several months have been very disappointing to say the least.
“Many of the messages that I have received said I was a terrible person, that I should be ashamed,” Gitles said. “There’s been a slew of other insults.”
After the meeting, Jenny said to Pioneer Press about community feedback, “I try to emphasize, I try to understand that it’s coming from a place of emotion and understand that it’s not always personal.
“But it is tough to receive emails like that.
“It’s always hard,” Jenny said.
At the podium, neighbor Skip Newman of Glenview told the board that concerned neighbors will not shop at Willows Crossing and that an online petition was posted several weeks ago with more than 200 signatures.
“If you build it, we will not come,” Newman said. “Vote with your dollars.”
Karie Angell Luc is a freelancer for Pioneer Press.