$10 million redevelopment of Des Plaines property clears hurdle

A $10 million plan to redevelop an office building to include a "business incubator space" and construct a separate 6,000-square-foot restaurant along Higgins Road won early approval this week from the Des Plaines city council.

Aldermen voted unanimously to back preliminary plans by Mariner Higgins Centre LLC, which owns the 7-acre property at 1700 W. Higgins Road, just south of Interstate 90. The western part of the property is owned by the village of Rosemont, and the developers have an active purchase agreement to buy that vacant land.

The developers say changing the commercial property to a mixed-use development "will cater to the O'Hare airport travelers, local residents, nearby businesses and motorists traveling along on Higgins Road and the tollway."

The business incubator space is intended to help emerging businesses find office space within the O'Hare market, according to the developers.

Other planned improvements to the property will include 88 new parking spaces, a bridge across Willow Creek to connect the office to parking and stormwater detention facilities.

As for the restaurant, developers have not identified an occupant yet. However, they did tell members of the city's planning and zoning commission that there is significant progress being made with at least one potential user.