Plan would add 8-unit townhouse building to Lake Zurich lakefront

Lake Zurich trustees were upbeat about a developer's plan to build an eight-unit townhouse development on the shore of the village's namesake lake.

The plan, which was presented to the board Monday night during a courtesy review, is for vacant land southeast of the highly trafficked intersection of Route 12 and Old Rand Road. It calls for adding a 4,000-square-foot commercial building, which the developer said he hopes to rent to a national tenant, preferably a high-end coffee shop or restaurant. Under the plan, the commercial building would be west of the townhouses and would not have lakefront views.

The developer, Romeo Kapudija, co-founder of Miller Street Partners, said he has passed the vacant property many times when driving to and from his North Barrington home.

"I've seen it on a daily basis and always thought it was such a beautiful corner," said Kapudija, who referred to the spot as a gateway to the lakefront properties.

He said the townhouse units would have luxury amenities and he hopes to sell them for about $550,000 each. The plan includes a pier, and each townhouse owner would get a boat launch.

Trustee Janice Gannon said as a lakefront owner she has long hoped the lot would eventually be turned into either single-family homes or a restaurant with lakefront views.

"We waited and waited for something like that," Gannon said. "But the way you've laid it out is nice, I'm impressed with that."

The only issue Gannon and several other trustees brought up was whether the proposed entry into the development from Route 12 was suitable. The plans call for that entrance to be close to the intersection.

Trustee Jonathan Sprawka asked whether IDOT had approved adding a curb cut there. Kapudija said he'd reached out to state officials, but because of COVID-19 they weren't able to get him a quick answer.

The developer's next step would be the village's planning and zoning commission before the proposal returns to village trustees for a vote.

Trustee Marc Spacone advised Kapudija that residents were concerned about how the nearby Life Time Fitness would affect local traffic.

"As you go through the process, be prepared to have people bring that up," Spacone said.

"I could see those same people having those same concerns."