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LakeForestLeader.com NEWS
the lake forest leader | April 12, 2018 | 3
Lake Forest City Council
Chase Bank receives green light to replace old McDonald’s site
Miriam Finder Annenberg
Freelance Reporter
After months of at
times contentious discussions,
the Lake Forest City
Council approved the construction
of a Chase Bank
including drive through
service in the Waukegan
Road business district during
its meeting on Monday,
April 2.
The construction of
the new Chase Bank,
which will replace the
old McDonald’s site at
884 Waukegan Road, was
approved in a 7-1 vote,
with Alderman Raymond
Buschmann the only “no”
vote.
This approval comes
after months of discussion
and consideration by
the City Council, Building
Review Board, Plan Commission
and City Legal
Committee.
Residents and aldermen
alike spoke of their concern
over another bank in
the Waukegan business
district and its impact on
the nature of the district
as a whole. However, others
welcomed the national
branch, expecting it to become
an engaged member
of the business community.
“We take our relationship
with our businesses
in this community very
seriously,” said Alderman
Prue Beidler. “When
someone from a national
group like Chase comes
in, we want them to understand.”
Although many aldermen
expressed displeasure
with the bank, they noted
that legally, Chase fit the
requirements of existing
on the property and receiving
a special-use permit.
“A bank is not my first
choice,” said Alderman
Jack Reisenberg. “[But],
I don’t get to pick and
choose.”
While a big issue
brought forward was concern
over how another
bank could change the
Waukegan business district,
Community Development
Department Head
Cathy Czerniak asked
residents to consider the
broader range of businesses
along the corridor,
including shops, restaurants,
medical facilities,
churches, athletic facilities,
financial institutions,
a grocery store, and the
train station.
“We really have quiet a
variety of uses in the district,”
she said. “All of us
tend to look at our weaknesses,
and sometimes
we forget the strength we
have in Lake Forest.”
However, not everyone
was against the Chase
Bank, which will take over
the old McDonald’s site
at 884 Waukegan Road.
Some residents welcome
the idea of another bank,
likely to bring in clientele
who may spend some time
patronizing other local
businesses.
Resident Jerry Jacks
said he was looking forward
to McDonald’s leaving
the area and was in
support of Chase developing
the site.
“McDonald’s is not a
great neighbor,” he said.
“It’s not a community
place at all.”
The new bank will be
constructed following the
demolition of the existing
McDonald’s restaurant.
The bank proposed
a similar footprint to the
McDonald’s and will be
built with future, alternative
uses in mind.
The Plan Commission
first held a public hearing
on the Chase Bank on Aug.
9, 2017. The public hearing
was continued to Sept.
9, 2017 and again to Dec.
13, 2017. During that time,
the commission examined
issues mentioned by aldermen,
such as traffic and the
overall impact of having a
third bank in such close
proximity in the business
district. The Plan Commission
also undertook further
study on the site design,
ensuring it fit in with commercial
district and was
designed in such a way as
to allow for a variety of
uses in the future. During
its Dec. 13, 2017 meeting,
the Plan Commission
members voted to approve
the project.
The Building Review
Board also reviewed the
site design and voted in
approval of the project.
The issue of the bank
first came before the City
Council during their Jan.
16 meeting. At the meeting,
the council members
concluded the Legal Committee
should review the
proposed development as
to legality of the petition,
which required Special
Use Permit approval.
Friday, April 20
11:00am & 7:00pm
Panel discussionled by
DirectorCarey Lundin after
both screenings!
This movie follows career of
Danish-born Jens Jensen
(1860-1951) fromstreet
sweeper, to ‘dean of
landscape architecture’, to
pioneering conservationist.
Jensen battles corruptionto
make the modern city more
livable by bringing ‘the
living green’ into lives of
Chicago’s workers.
Ticketsavailable at
gortoncenter.org