Townhouses proposed for former Hitch-Inn Post site in Libertyville
A different style of living is being proposed for the former site of the Hitch-Inn Post hotel near a prominent corner in Libertyville.
A plan called Liberty Junction proposes 90 townhouses and two commercial lots on 15 acres with frontage on Route 137 and Milwaukee Avenue.
The site known as the Young property is situated between and south of Ace Hardware and the Wildberry restaurant near the southwest corner of the busy intersection.
The Young family owned and operated the Hitch-Inn Post, built in 1958 as a 16-unit ma and pa stop during the road trip era. Three additions brought the local landmark to a peak of 144 rooms before it closed in 2005.
Demolished in 2010, the site since has been considered a key redevelopment area by the village but has remained vacant and idle.
"We've had so many meetings on this site over the years," said John Spoden, Libertyville's community development director. "It's good to see an interest in the property."
According to information provided to the village, CHILM Libertyville Residential LLC is the contract purchaser of about 11.6 acres from the Young Family Trust.
They propose rezoning the property from commercial to residential and building 90 townhouses in 16 buildings. Each townhouse would have three bedrooms and sell for an estimated $420,000.
A co-applicant proposes to divide 3.6 adjoining acres it has under contract into two commercial lots fronting Milwaukee Avenue. One lot would be developed as additional parking for the popular Wildberry restaurant. The second would be cleared, graded and seeded in advance of future development.
Spoden said that aspect of the plan would allow the Wildberry parking to be consolidated and expanded while cleaning up the area to the south.
Because the main portion of the property has remained vacant under the commercial zoning classification for a long time, its value has diminished, according to the proposal.
That commercial classification was designated in the 2005 comprehensive plan. However, a revised version of the plan, approved this past March, has a different view.
The 2030 comprehensive plan envisions the 10-acre western portion of the site as a new residential "cluster" development featuring roughly 30 to 60 single-family homes or duplexes.
The residential and commercial developments, as well as a public road, are being sought together. Six zoning deviations, including an increase in the allowed height of the townhouses, are being sought.
Maps and supporting documents are available at the planning department portion of the village website.
Landscaping, building facades and lighting are expected to be discussed Monday by the village's appearance review commission. The plan commission/zoning board of appeals is expected to discuss the project on July 26. Both make recommendations to the village board, which has final say.