A vote slated to take place this week on a proposed self-storage project in Willowbrook, Ill., has been rescheduled to give the developer time to address suggestions by village board members. ROC Willowbrook LLC had received unanimous approval from the Willowbrook Plan Commission on Dec. 2 to construct two self-storage buildings totaling more than 100,000 square feet. However, requests made by the Village Board have yet to be met, despite sending the proposal back to the planning commission in November, according to the source.

December 16, 2015

2 Min Read
Vote Delayed on Self-Storage Project in Willowbrook, IL

A vote slated to take place this week on a proposed self-storage project in Willowbrook, Ill., has been rescheduled to give the developer time to address suggestions by village board members. ROC Willowbrook LLC had received unanimous approval from the Willowbrook Plan Commission on Dec. 2 to construct two self-storage buildings totaling more than 100,000 square feet. However, requests made by the Village Board have yet to be met, despite sending the proposal back to the planning commission in November, according to the source.

The project is proposed for a vacant 7-acre site in an industrial area just north of Village Hall, a new city-owned building that opened this year. One self-storage building would comprise 54,000 square feet of interior, climate-controlled space in 398 units. The second, designed for the storage of classic and high-end vehicles, would include about 45,500 square feet in 108 indoor parking spaces. The property would allow owners to wash their vehicles on site but prohibit any mechanical or maintenance work, the source reported. ROC Willowbrook plans to maintain ownership of the facility, but would hire a third-party management firm to oversee day-to-day operation.

Points of contention between ROC and village board members included building size and the location of refuse. Officials suggested the property should have an outdoor refuse-storage area in a masonry enclosure, while the developer preferred to store garbage inside the building and wheel it out on pickup day, the source reported.

"It would appear that the village board's concerns fell on deaf ears," said Trustee Michael Mistele. "I believe these buildings need to shrink a little, and consideration needs to be given to the inclusion of loading docks and the provision of adequate parking. We need to stitch this thing into the existing neighborhood."

While Mistele said the overall scope of the project would fit well with the area and site, he had questions about the exterior architecture and color scheme. The development would also require several special-use permits and variances in regards to lighting, parking, setbacks and signage.

"I am asking the developer to step back and rethink this project, and to shrink these buildings to the extent that we don't need all these setbacks to meet the parking needs," Mistele told the source.

Other trustees agreed with Mistele, and agreed to postpone the vote until its Jan. 11 meeting. Naperville, Ill.-based ROC acquired the site at the northeast corner of Executive Drive and Quincy Street several years ago from The Royal Bank of Scotland, which had placed it in foreclosure, the source reported.

 

Sources:

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