Cambridge Commons Developer Reduces Height, Proposes New Signage

The owner of the Cambridge Commons shopping center returned from the drawing board Wednesday to share revised plans for a new façade and a proposal for a larger pylon sign.

Plans for a roofline that would have reached 57 feet at its highest point were shot down by the Village Board last week. This week’s revised plan calls for a façade that complies the site’s zoning code, which permits heights up to 45 feet. The lower height will eliminate the need for a variance from the village. 

Officials spent most of the 20-minute meeting with developer Nick Vittore discussing a proposed 122-square-foot, 20-foot tall pylon sign at the shopping center, located at the southeast corner of Dundee and Buffalo Grove roads.

The proposed sign, which Vittore described as a scaled-down version of the sign at Wheeling’s Fresh Farms development, would include a panel for each tenant as well as a digital display.

“It looks very nice,” he told the Village Board.

Plans for the sign were voted down 5-1 last week by the Zoning Board of Appeals, Building Commissioner Brian Sheehan said, due to questions and concerns about its height, size and placement.

Wednesday’s meeting was for discussion purposes only, but at least one official indicated he’d support the plans.

“I am all in favor of us having signage that’s more modern than 1985,” said Trustee Mike Terson, who has previously voiced support for updated business signs.

The number of panels on the sign would be determined by how many tenants the shopping center attracts. The west side of the building, facing Buffalo Grove Road, was expected to be occupied by Rogan’s Shoes, but since the store relocated to another shopping center, plans are uncertain.

“We may have one big tenant, we may have four little tenants. We don’t know,” Vittore said. 

A Fresh Farms grocery store is expected to occupy the anchor space previously filled by Rogan’s Shoes. Illinois Dental Center is expected to remain a tenant, Vittore said.

The two parties also took a few moments to express their frustration with each other.

Village President Jeff Braiman said he met with Vittore last week, and he was disappointed by statements Vittore later made regarding his negotiations with the village.

“I don’t appreciate some of the comments that were made,” Braiman said. 

“When we’re standing up here and the general consensus is, ‘We’re sick and tired of Svigos [Asset Management,' which owns and operates the center] and 'We don’t need another grocery store,’ it does come across as abrasive and it’s a little difficult to hear,” Vittore replied.

Trustees will formally vote on the redevelopment proposals at the July 15 Village Board meeting.