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New look, traffic pattern for Aldi plan in Vernon Hills

Representatives from Aldi's will return to Vernon Hills with a new look and traffic plan for their proposed store in the Shoppes of Gregg's Landing North.

Village trustees will consider the changes during a work session after the regular village board meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday at village hall, 290 Evergreen Drive.

The Batavia-based discount grocery chain made an initial presentation to the board in May for a store on about 2 acres in the center at the northwest corner of Milwaukee Avenue and Gregg's Parkway.

While agreeing an Aldi store would add to the variety of grocery options in town, trustees wanted more brick and architectural features for the proposed 19,054-square-foot building.

"The architecture was changed to a more modern design that incorporates low-slope roof pitches along with brick and metal exterior wall finishes that are complementary with surrounding buildings," such as Mariano's, according to Building Commissioner Mike Atkinson.

Aldi representatives said this would be a first-of-a-kind look for their stores, he added.

Traffic flow and truck movement were other considerations.

On Oct. 4, the village's planning and zoning commission voted 6-0 to approve changes to allow the building, but the site and landscaping plan failed on a 3-3 vote. Commissioners who voted against the motion had concerns about internal traffic circulation and the location of the access to the site.

The plans have been revised to include the purchase of an additional 0.4 acre.

"The site plan has been modified to orient the access into the property to be perpendicular to the roadway (Menards Drive)," according to Assistant Village Manager Joe Carey.

Diagonal parking on the site has been changed to perpendicular parking, he added, resulting in the need for more property.

Should the board agree with the proposed changes, an ordinance approving the development would be prepared for official action Dec. 12.

Aldi was pursuing a $1.6 billion program to remodel 1,300 stores by 2020 when it announced in July a $3.4 billion investment to expand to 2,500 stores nationwide by the end of 2022.

That would make it the third-largest grocery store chain in the U.S., according to the company.

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