The Oak Park Economic Development Corporation is about to choose a preferred developer from among several solid developer proposals for the village-owned site at Harlem Avenue and South Boulevard. Among those proposals is a range of square footage for retail space that goes from about 10,000 square feet to 60,000 square feet. Plus, of course, 200-plus apartments.
We would suggest, at this late date, that that is a terrible corner on which to add a 60,000-square-foot grocery store — which is the rumored use. Not every square inch of Oak Park needs to throw off sales tax and add to traffic congestion. The property tax tossed off by the apartment complex and some small transit-related retail might be the home run that corner is capable of producing.