The Northbrook Village Board has agreed to sell 8.8 acres of the former Grainger Industrial Supply land downtown, which it purchased in 2018, for the construction of 320 luxury apartments and 8,000 square feet of commercial space.
The Village Board voted last month to sell Habitat Development the remaining Grainger property at 1657 Shermer Road for $10.5 million, under the conditions that Habitat receives approval for the zoning needed for the project and consideration for tax increment financing.
“The village is not obligated under this agreement to approve either of those,” Village Attorney Steven Elrod said. “If the village does not approve, the purchaser has the right to terminate the agreement and receive back its earnest money.”
Habitat must submit a formal zoning application and proceed through the normal Village zoning review process, which includes a public hearing, Amy McEwan, the village’s director of Development & Planning Services, told the baiduhai/Pioneer Press.
Under the preliminary package, Habitat agreed to deposit in earnest $100,000 and two additional deposits of $200,000 each toward the purchase, Village Manager Cara Pavlicek said in a written report to the board.
Trustees at the Village Board’s May 26 meeting expressed unanimous support for the proposal, which includes commercial space on the ground floor for a restaurant, 191 one-bedroom units, 111 two-bedroom units and 15 three-bedroom units. Fifteen percent, or 48, of the apartments are proposed to comply with the state’s affordable housing special assessment program.
Trustee Johannah Hebl said she is very excited to see the property finally nearing development, after a previous proposal failed to get completed. The new project would fit the downtown area, which is connected to other areas of the village by a pedestrian path, perfectly, Hebl said.
“Density is the lifeline to businesses downtown. I love that we have the Northbrook path that draws people in. You live there, but you walk there,” she said. “I think it will spur on some nice development and growth in our community that is much needed, so I support it.”
Trustee Heather Ross agreed that the proposal would bring a much needed density, or a larger number of residents in a small area, to downtown.
“If we’re going to effectuate change, we need to allow change,” Ross said. “I would give this a nod, and I look forward to the next steps.”
Trustee Joy Ebhomielen said she appreciates that Northbrook would get additional affordable housing out of the proposal.
“There are some really interesting, good ideas in this proposal,” Ebhomielen said. “I hope the owners will look into it and implement some of this. I’m excited, knock on wood, to move forward with this and get it going.”
Trustee Matt Cassidy said he is excited to see the proposal after the previous plan failed.
“I’m in favor of this. I look forward to seeing more details.” Cassidy said. “I would like a little more information about traffic, but I think this is definitely along the right track.”
Trustee Tamara Reese reminded trustees and residents that 3,000 employees arrived at and left Grainger each weekday when the company was operating at the site.
“I know we will hear more about traffic moving forward in the process,” Reese said. “The sooner the community can see it, the more you can picture it as being in your community and increasing foot traffic to downtown businesses.”
Village President Kathryn Ciesla said Habitat is currently redeveloping the former Solo Cup factory in Highland Park.
“I’m under the impression they have been very communicative and responsive to residents,” Ciesla said. “I’m encouraging (Northbrook) residents to participate in this process.”
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Ciesla said she likes that the proposal includes attracting retail to downtown, and suggested it will fit well with another development on the former Grainger property.
“That is very nice,” she said. “I anticipate it will complement the new Poupard Place next door.”
Poupard Place is about to open and has a ribbon cutting scheduled for June 30. It is a 48-unit apartment building in downtown Northbrook for people with developmental or intellectual disabilities.
The Northbrook Village Board voted unanimously in February 2025 to amend a development agreement to allow a nonprofit, Housing Opportunities Development Corporation, to spend nearly $24 million in public and private funds to construct the Poupard Place apartment building on 1.5 acres.