Village hopes to find community-focused developer for vacant Green Bay Road land

The Village of Kenilworth has made economic development a priority and, with its latest move, is taking matters into its own hands.

The Village-owned property at 604 Green Bay Road — a 5,700-square-foot lot at the corner of Green Bay and Roger roads — is on the market for $750,000, Kenilworth Village Manager Patrick Brennan told The Record.

Brennan said that village ownership is an advantage, as any sale or project must be approved by the Village Board.

“If someone came with a proposal, we have the ability to say no to the sale,” he said. “It gives residents strong assurance that whatever comes to that site will be something the village will be proud of.”

Brennan and the Village are seeking developers with concepts that align with the town’s “vision for Green Bay Road and provide a new gathering space for residents.”

The Village purchased 604 Green Bay Road in 2016 in an effort to improve the three-way intersection of Sterling, Roger and Green Bay roads. After purchasing the land, the Village moved Sterling Road off the intersection.

The land has been mostly vacant since; however, in 2022, the Village allowed AT&T to erect a temporary cell tower on the site. The tower has been removed.

A 2022 survey about Kenilworth’s business corridor along Green Bay Road showed that a vast majority of residents want more community and social spaces, such as a coffee shop (91%), restaurant (83.6%) and bakery (78.7%).

In June 2022, the Kenilworth Plan Commission kickstarted a conversation on the vacant property and how it could jibe with the corridor’s master plan. Commissioners and village staff discussed housing possibilities and partnering with the site’s neighbor, 600 Green Bay Road, for a larger development.

Brennan said the owner of 600 Green Bay Road — a building currently occupied by an interior design firm and other professional offices — remains open to collaborating with the Village on a development.

The site hits in the market while another Kenilworth project is getting underway. Practice Hora is moving its business from Wilmette to Kenilworth and received in 2021 village approval to open a multi-use space — fitness studio, coffee shop and art gallery — at 500-510 Green Bay Road.

Realtor Wayne Caplan, of SVN Chicago Commercial, is representing the Village of Kenilworth in sale of 604 Green Bay Road and can be reached at (312) 529-5791. For more information on the site and the village’s strategic plan for Green Bay Road, email Brennan at pbrennan@vok.org.

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