Oak Park office building project on Madison Street not dead, says developer

89°

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012 5:19 PM

Updated: Tuesday, February 28th, 2012 1:55 PM

By Marty Stempniak

Staff Reporter

A proposed office building, long planned for Madison Street in Oak Park, is still in the works, despite worries over the past few years that it might be dead.

Since late 2007, a group of local investors has been trying to erect a four-story office building on the south side of Madison Street. The proposed building would include a parking garage, retail space on the ground floor and a bridge spanning Highland Avenue.

But the idea has languished on the backburner for years, and in August 2011, village trustees gave Madison Highlands LLC a third delay to start work on the building.

With that, the group had until Feb. 16 to apply for building permits, or risk losing the village's approval, but the group was granted a fourth extension last week.

Mas Takiguchi, the attorney for the developer, told village trustees Feb. 21 that they're still working behind the scenes to make the development happen. It hit a snag in late 2010, when the Park District of Oak Park nixed plans to expand its gymnastics program at the office building, instead settling on a former Aldi grocery store site on Lake Street near Austin Boulevard.

Takiguchi said they're talking to several tenants who have expressed interest in taking up part of the 75,000-square-feet of office space. Plus, they're eyeing a large restaurant chain to take up about 10,000 square feet of the ground-floor storefronts, and a deli to take up the remaining portion.

Madison Highlands now has until July 16 to apply for building permits, and until Nov. 16 to start construction. If they're able to line up tenants in the coming months, they expect to finish the building by March 2014.

Reader Comments

14 Comments - Add Your Comment

Comment Policy

Homer Simpson

Posted: Friday, February 24th, 2012 7:22 AM

I have a life, it is donuts and fast food...oh please oh please village board add another fast food restaurant on madison. yummy.

@homer

Posted: Thursday, February 23rd, 2012 4:35 PM

get a life

BU$TA RYMEZ from CHITOWN

Posted: Thursday, February 23rd, 2012 3:53 PM

Can we make it an all-Payday Loan, Gold Into Cash district? With one nail salon?

Homer Simpson

Posted: Thursday, February 23rd, 2012 2:20 PM

ummm yummy, another donut shop? any fat (not a typo) food restaurant would be good... then the people from the green cycle shop(same people as developer for this site) can guilt more poeple into renting their bikes.

Junkie

Posted: Thursday, February 23rd, 2012 2:05 PM

MADISON STREET IS IN GREAT SHAPE! It's the best spot to score and shoot up! ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz...

muntz

Posted: Thursday, February 23rd, 2012 12:49 PM

What's up with the gravel parking lot on the SW corner of Madison and Humphrey? Are there development plans for that lot? And what is that lot used for today?

Done from Oak Park

Posted: Thursday, February 23rd, 2012 10:39 AM

"And they're eyeing a large restaurant chain to take up about 10,000 square feet of the space and a deli possibly to take up the remaining portion." Jason's Deli?

Eilene McCullagh Heckman from Chicago, Illinois Facebook Verified

Posted: Thursday, February 23rd, 2012 10:02 AM

So long as it doesn't become an oversized hulk like Belmont Village... it would be nice to have retail and office space locate on Madison. Most of the businesses on Madison Street... have been there in one shape or another for over 20 years. The McDonalds... Arrow, the gas stations... and even a few of the hair salons. Give it a rest. It's not like Madison St is going to attract an Apple Store any time soon. You can't expect every retail corridor in Oak Park to become an "Arts District" kitchy trendy cool land of gifty shoppies. Everyone has hair and nails... trendy crap... not really a universal need.

Dave Coulter

Posted: Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012 9:18 PM

Mariano's are awesome.

Amy Renzulli

Posted: Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012 7:30 PM

A Mariano's Grocery store would be a nice addition to Oak Park...

jak op from oak park

Posted: Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012 7:22 PM

Great. We have buildings toppling by the developer who uses this lawyer. Now - at a cheaper price. U-build-it. They think they will come! How 'bout helping the businesses that have been here first?!

Silly Seconds

Posted: Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012 7:08 PM

no madison is in great shape...vacant properties and all. I like to call it the fast food freeway, where else can you get so much fried food in one single stretch? and boy oh boy all the new wig and hair braiding places that Mr. Park if going to put in on east madison, Silly you will never have to think about food or hair styles products again.

Patricia O'Shea Facebook Verified

Posted: Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012 6:02 PM

Tiresome

Silly

Posted: Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012 5:44 PM

Lets now all wait for murtagh to chime in about how bad Madison St is and how the economy is in the tank and how awful Oak Park is. Ha! OR suggestions as to HOW it should be done. From the expert of ex everything!!

Wednesday Journal News Blog

Water line break shuts off water service for part of Oak Park Avenue

Friday, May 18th 2012 11:07 AM

Updated 12:12 p.m.
Crews have patched the leak in the water main and water service has been restored along Oak Park Ave.

(No Comments) Read More...

Black College Night at OPRF

Thursday, May 17th 2012 02:55 PM

On Wednesday, May 30, from 7-8:30 p.m., Oak Park River Forest High School's Parent Connection will host its first Black College Night, which will highlight the opportunities available for our students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

(20 Comments) Read More...

Yova coffee shop space for sale

Wednesday, May 16th 2012 02:53 PM

The space housing Yova Gourmet Coffee & Treats in the South Town Business District is for sale.

(1 Comment) Read More...

What We're Reading