The Lake Zurich Village Board approved plans for a new barbecue restaurant that will include exterior seating and inside music, located next to Barbecue Productions and owned by the same family.
The restaurant will be Station 52 Truck Company Bar and Grill, at 377 North Rand Road. The new restaurant will replace the former Fritzl’s restaurant at the corner of North Rand and Ravinia Terrace. The outer walls will remain but almost everything inside will be remodeled, according to plans for the redevelopment.
The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the project be approved before trustees gave the final green light at the Feb. 6 Village Board meeting.
There had been a concern voiced about smoke and lighting for the new restaurant. But after the owner’s wife, Moriah Schoenberger, addressed the board, village trustees seemed satisfied the family would be good neighbors, as they already own a neighboring business.
Also, Lake Zurich Development Director Sarosh Saher pointed out the building is already zoned for a restaurant, and the Schoenbergers are only requesting special permission for outside seating and inside music. Friztl’s already had special permission for outside seating, Saher stated.
In all, Saher implied the new restaurant shouldn’t be too much of a disturbance.
Saher said with the planned improvements, there will be a significant change to the property and “we believe a significant improvement to the restaurant.”
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Mayor Tom Poynton expressed concern over overflow street parking, but Saher said there shouldn’t be any.
“We put a condition there that no overflow parking will be allowed to take place on neighborhood streets,” Saher said. “But we also feel that by design they’ve provided sufficient parking on the premises and shared parking to the north.”
He was referring to the family’s sister business next door.
After the measure passed, Poynton wished the applicant well.
“When do you expect to be open?” he asked Schoenberger.
“Hopefully, soon,” she said, indicating it would be a matter of months.
Jesse Wright is a freelancer.