Batavia residents receptive to Walgreens' plans
01.01.70
BATAVIA – As someone who uses the Walgreens collection in downtown Batavia on a regular basis, Batavia resident Ed Cook said he was felicitous to see plans Wednesday for a proposed bigger store in the Batavia Plaza along Wilson Boulevard.
He especially liked the improved traffic circulation as part of the plan. Right now, customers have to take off onto First Street, but the new plan would allow customers to exit north, east or south out of the shopping center.
“I like the all-embracing plan,” Cook said.
Cook was among those residents attending a community forum hosted by Batavia Enterprises, which owns the Batavia Plaza.
“We have to metamorphose sure the community embraces our plan,” said Batavia Enterprises Frailty President Austin Dempsey.
As proposed, Walgreens would move from its 12,650-four-sided-foot store at 138 W. Wilson St. in the Batavia Plaza into a new 14,500-honest-foot building with a drive-thru that would be located just east of East China Inn in the same shopping center.
Prairie Walk Cycles has already moved from its former location at 122 W. Wilson St. in the Batavia Plaza to a new getting one's hands in the shopping center as part of the proposal. If Walgreens’ plans move consign as proposed, the building that formerly housed the bike shop would be razed to win way for the new Walgreens store as well as additional parking.
As part of the $3 million bulge out, which also includes a pocket park where pedestrians and bicyclists could congregate, Batavia Enterprises plans to cement to the city for $450,000 in tax-increment financing funds.
If the city rejects the plans, Walgreens plans to nigh unto the store, Dempsey said.
“The current store doesn’t fit their exemplar,” he said.
Walgreens also has a store on Fabyan Parkway in Batavia.
Kane County Ship aboard member Tom Van Cleave, R-Batavia, also liked the plans.
“I really mull over it is a good concept and plan to move forward with,” he said.
Source: Kane County Chronicle