The Clove redevelopment in Buffalo Grove is coming along one brick at a time, now taking shape one year after groundbreaking.
The former Buffalo Grove Town Center retail strip, which had been plagued with vacancies, was partially demolished in August 2022 to make way for the $150 million mixed-use redevelopment project at Lake Cook and McHenry roads – officially called The Clove.
Developers promise it will change the dynamic of that busy intersection and village leaders are optimistic that it will.
“It’s been just over a year since we broke ground on The Clove – the largest redevelopment project in the history of Buffalo Grove,” Buffalo Grove Village Manager Dane Bragg told Pioneer Press. “Construction is on track, and it’s been exciting to see the site begin to transform. This project is the catalyst of the Lake Cook Corridor Plan, and we already are seeing the ripple effect with Lazy Dog’s [restaurant] plans to build across the street.”
Kensington Development Partners purchased the 22-acre site in 2020 looking to create a modern central entertainment and residential district. The first stages of the project are well underway, with the recent opening of a Chick-fil-A restaurant and completion of the external and internal remodeling work of the existing building just north of Old Checker Road. This revitalized building maintains previous tenants Sushi Grove and Giordano’s restaurants, both of which are open for business.
Anchoring the site will be a 43,000-square-foot “nationally renowned grocery store” that developers and village officials have yet to reveal due to a non-disclosure agreement, according to Community Development Director Nicole Woods. The grocery store is expected to open in July 2024.
At the center of the property will be park space, which village staff is currently designing with architects.
“We anticipate it will provide a central, lively and fun gathering place for the community,” Woods said.
Programming for concerts and other village events has yet to be determined.
A seven-story luxury apartment building is also planned to anchor the site, with the first three floors partially erected on the site. The 297 luxury units being developed by Urban Street are considered “next generation” and will feature such building amenities as resort-style pools with firepits, gathering rooms with pool tables and shuffleboard, high-level gyms with smart bikes and private office spaces, according to project plans.
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The apartment building is expected to be completed before the close of 2026.
The residential units are planned to sit atop 16,200 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor. This will include a sit-down restaurant at the building’s southeast corner as a key fixture in the development, Woods said.
In addition, almost 20,000 square feet of commercial space is scattered across the site, including a new space for Guzman y Gomez Mexican Kitchen restaurant. Other eateries and retail tenants have yet to be announced.
Another sit-down restaurant, Lazy Dog, which will allow diners to bring their dog to dine with them on the outdoor patio, plans to locate across the street from The Clove, at 51 McHenry Road in the former IHOP site.
“We expect this site to turn your head and invite you in to explore its offerings,” Woods said. “The layout of the site is conducive for modern retail, commercial, dining, entertainment, residential and open space elements to create an active, fun community gathering center and focal point. It will have a different look and energy from the previous development.”
Elizabeth Owens-Schiele is a freelancer.