Despite opposition and suggested modifications from residents, the Buffalo Grove Village Board approved zoning variances for a new Tesla dealership and multi-use residential development on Dundee Road, suggesting current zoning could allow for “a lot worse.”
On a vote of 7-0 at the Dec. 4 meeting, the board approved a 50,000-square-foot Tesla sales, service and delivery dealership and a 224-unit, four-story luxury apartment building, along with two commercial spaces for the 16 acres at 915-945 Dundee Road. The site was formerly three Bob Rohrman car dealerships but has been vacant for more than 14 years and considered an eyesore by both trustees and nearby residents.
Village President Eric Smith voted on the measure, but only because residents requested him to. The village president usually votes only in case of a tie. But the village attorney told Pioneer Press that Smith’s vote counted in this situation.
A community of single-family homes lies along the southern border of the new development and 12 residents from there submitted a petition to the village opposing the proposed development, and some of them shared their concerns in person at the meeting. A total of 30 people attended the meeting.
“This stands to change our lives negatively,” said Jerry Ostrower, who lives on Old Arlington Court, near the redevelopment site. “There’s a way to do this to fit our needs, the village’s needs and the builder’s needs.”
Resident Bob Dinnerman shared a presentation of detailed computer-generated renderings offering alternative configuration solutions.
“If you move the apartment building to the east and north along Bison Park and relocate parking to the west,” Dinnerman said, “you alleviate the issue of the apartment building intruding on the neighbors.”
Ryan Fitzgerald, a partner at Shorewood Development Group, which is managing this $100 million redevelopment, said he has already signed a real estate agreement with Tesla based on the current configuration of the site. He was steadfast in maintaining the existing architectural plans for the development, claiming he would “lose both” projects – the dealership and the luxury apartment building – if it didn’t move forward as proposed.
He said Tesla officials want to promote brand awareness, so the sales and showroom building has to be on the north end of the property on Dundee Road. Further, to ensure the security of their vehicles, he said Tesla representatives insist that dedicated parking is on the eastern portion of the lot so there is no access to the vehicles and the lot adjacency provides better access for operations.
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Residents suggested moving the apartment building so it would not abut nearby residences, yet developers and trustees agreed it’s standard practice to add multi-family housing between retail and nearby residential to provide a buffer.
“The plan has been to deliver to Buffalo Grove a luxury residential offering that hasn’t been seen in this area and provide diversity to your housing stock that has proven to be marketable in the area,” said Andrew Juiris, president of Double Eagle Development, explaining the company’s plans.
The luxury apartment building is expected to feature studio apartments priced at $1,700 a month, and one- and two-bedroom units renting for up to $2,600 a month. Juiris said empty nesters looking to downsize are expected to be the target renters, and he projects the average annual income of residents will be $100,000 to $125,000. The building would also feature a central courtyard with a resort-style pool, firepits and a high-end fitness center, according to project plans.
Residents were concerned the balconies on the building would look directly into their homes. Juiris addressed that by explaining that Double Eagle is looking to create a landscape screen to the south with 10- to 20-foot trees, such as evergreens and canopy trees, to shield neighbors and “make sure our neighbors to the south are comfortable we’re there.”
He estimates there will be 109 feet of separation from area residents on the southern border of the property.
The development is expected to have an underground water detention area to alleviate flooding to neighbors and will include parking beyond current village code requirements, according to project plans.
Another resident with a school-age child shared her concern that the development would bombard area schools that are already overcrowded with even more students. However, trustees clarified that only three to six students are projected to be added to local school enrollment as a result of this 224-unit development.
Trustees discussed that the proposed apartment building’s density and height are comparable to other buildings in the area and said current zoning could allow for a much more intrusive commercial development.
Trustee Denice Bocek, managing director of a boutique real estate consulting firm, said the site’s current B4 zoning is much more intense in density and would allow for a bottling distribution plant or trailer sales, suggesting a new development for the site “could be a lot worse.”
Trustee Lester Ottenheimer echoed her sentiment.
“There’s something amiss here,” said resident Craig Horwitz. “Is Tesla more important than the residents? Nobody else is going to build on this property. That’s an irrelevant comment.”
Other trustees disagreed.
“Given what could be put in its place, you could end up with a distribution center with semis going in and out 24/7,” Trustee Joanne Johnson said. “If your concern is aesthetics, you’re going to have bright lights and loud noise.”
Instead, the proposal is for upscale residences with renters who have an average income of $125,000 per year, she said.
President Smith assured residents the village’s forester would be involved in selecting the best trees and tree heights to provide a buffer between the proposed apartment building and nearby residents.
Elizabeth Owens-Schiele is a freelancer.