Lake Zurich approves storage business in Route 22 corridor
Lake Zurich village trustees have approved a plan to convert a building into a self-storage facility at Route 22 and Buesching Road.
Originally pegged for a U-Haul operation, the 88,000-square-foot building now is to become home to the Life Storage Inc. on the northeast corner of the intersection.
Developer Steven Schwartz said the project's first phase would include the Life Storage units, a sales office and drive-through access in 28,000 square feet on the building's south end closest to Buesching and Route 22.
Last month, U-Haul dropped its proposal to rent storage units and trucks from the building. U-Haul was voted down twice by Lake Zurich trustees in 2015 and denied a third chance at approval in January.
However, the Life Storage plan was warmly received by the village board and approved by a 6-0 vote Monday night. Attorney Calvin Bernstein, who represented Life Storage, said the new plan removed "an area of concern" that arose for U-Haul by not seeking permission to have rental trucks parked outside the building at 300 E. Route 22.
Village Trustee Jim Beaudoin was among the elected officials who expressed satisfaction with Life Storage's proposal. A tentative opening date is not yet available.
"I'll just commend you on a real nice project," Beaudoin told Bernstein and developer Steven Schwartz. "I think it'll be a complementary looking building (along Route 22) when it's all done."
As a condition of the approval, the indoor storage units cannot be visible from the street. Village Manager Ray Keller said tinted glass, for example, could be used to obscure the view of the units.
Schwartz, who has redeveloped buildings in Lisle and Crystal Lake for self-storage businesses, said he would keep existing trees and add landscaping on the 9-acre parcel. He said about 250 storage units would be available in Lake Zurich.
Ancient Graffiti Inc., a wholesale distributor of garden art and nature gifts that's been on the site for roughly 15 years, is supposed to shift to the north end and stay at least until 2018.
U-Haul dropped its proposal after ending a lawsuit it filed against Lake Zurich in January. The suit had claimed the village improperly denied the company the right to occupy the building.