Buffalo Grove Greenlights Tesla-Anchored Mixed-Use Project

Buffalo Grove officials have approved a Tesla-anchored mixed-use development, despite pushback from local residents.

The project, replacing the long-vacant Rohrman auto dealership at 915-945 Dundee Road, will feature a Tesla sales center, a 224-unit apartment building and up to 40,000 square feet of retail space, the Daily Herald reported.

Shorewood Development Group and Double Eagle Development will build the retail and residential portions. Buffalo Grove’s approval is a big win for Shorewood, as the local firm has been working to redevelop the 16-acre site for a while.

The former auto dealership building has been vacant for 14 years.

Neighbors south of the property raised objections, arguing that the proposed apartment building, which sits 79 feet from single-family homes, would invade their privacy. Suggestions to shift the building east were dismissed by Shorewood’s Ryan Fitzgerald, due to concerns about access from Boeger Road and potential traffic snarls on Dundee Road.

While developers plan to install trees as a buffer between the apartments and houses, residents were skeptical about how effective that would be for privacy.

Village Trustee Frank Cesario emphasized the need to revitalize the former Rohrman property, which has been called an eyesore and a hazard due to its “unkempt condition.”

Trustee David Weidenfeld acknowledged the concerns of some residents but argued that there is no better alternative.

“I will not kill the Tesla deal just to do this, because I owe that to the 43,000 people who live in this town,” he said.

The village’s forester will play a significant role in the project, addressing concerns about the impact on surrounding greenery and landscape, Village President Eric Smith said.

—Quinn Donoghue