Developer Warren Baker's Elston Development, LLC has acquired some of the property from DuPont, which once operated a factory on the site. The factory has been demolished. His proposed business planned development has received a favorable nod from the plan commission and is expected to be approved by the city council.
Located along the Metra commuter rail tracks, the site also is near congested intersections, including one formed by Armitage, Ashland and Elston avenues. Department of planning and development officials hope to use tax increment financing money to pay for nearly $5 million in improvements to the intersection to relieve bottlenecks.
"It's going to be a problem traffic-wise, no matter what (the city department of transportation) says," says plan commission member John Nelson. "Traffic is five times worse than it was two years ago."
In addition to being within a half-mile of the Kennedy Expressway, the site also is a half-mile from another congested intersection at Fullerton and Elston avenues.
The size of the two stores will be at least 40% less than what current zoning allows, and will help revitalize a corridor that is about 75% vacant, department of planning and development officials say.
In addition to IKEA, car dealers have eyed the Elston Avenue site, city officials say.
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