Rick Rockets 'fuel center' could be coming to Buffalo Grove

Don't call it a gas station.

It's a fuel center, Rick Heidner of Heidner Properties, Inc. told the Buffalo Grove village board Monday, as he showed preliminary plans for a proposed Ricky Rockets development on the eastern edge of the village's Lake-Cook Corridor.

"We're giving you everything we can for the day," Heidner said of the plan for the 7.6-acre parcel at 700 E. Lake-Cook Road.

The land currently is home to a 100,000 square-foot office building formerly occupied by a BMO Harris Bank. The company decided not to renew its lease.

That building would be demolished, and in its place would be an 8,720-square-foot complex that includes the fuel center, convenience store and car wash, as well as an 8,550-square-foot retail building, a fast-food restaurant and a self-storage facility.

"The big huge industrial building that is there is pretty much a dinosaur," Heidner said.

It would be the fifth Ricky Rockets in the suburbs and sixth in the country. Two are in Hoffman Estates, and others are in South Elgin, Midlothian and Garland, Texas.

Heidner described the stores as customer friendly, with a free "rocket" ride for the children. He also expects a Dunkin' Donuts on the site, since the store has either occupied or applied for space at the other Ricky Rockets.

Buffalo Grove trustees Monday referred Heidner's proposal to the village's planning and zoning commission for further consideration, including of a needed zoning change for the property.

However, they are hopeful the development could add some additional sales tax dollars to village coffers.

"We're going from a corner that did not generate any tax revenue now to a tax-revenue-generating corner," Trustee Joanne Johnson said,