Southeast corner of 173rd St. and Torrence Ave.
By Josh Bootsma
LANSING, Ill. (February 6, 2021) – The Village Board on Tuesday approved a special use permit for QuikTrip to operate a gas station at the southeast corner of 173rd Street and Torrence Avenue, a potential project that would see the old Kmart building demolished and replaced by fueling areas and a parking lot for the QuikTrip gas station and convenience store.
The special use approval comes after QuikTrip representative Andrew Smith made a presentation before both the Planning and Zoning Board on December 9, 2020, and the Village Board Committee of the Whole on January 19, 2021.
Gas station and convenience store would fill currently empty lot
The proposed project would bring a QuikTrip convenience store to the high-profile corner, which would face northward. A covered gas fueling area would be on the north side of the store and a diesel fueling area to the east.
The southeast corner of 173rd and Torrence is currently a vacant lot, with LA Fitness located further south. On the east side of the lot along Oak Avenue is the structure that used to house Kmart.
Smith said QuikTrip was involved in talks with LA Fitness about how to share parking areas located in the lot. He also said the company plans to do landscaping work around the lot, which currently has little more than concrete.
Though planned to be a popular spot for highway truckers to stop for gas and grab a bite to eat, Smith said the location will not be an overnight facility for truckers, with onsite staff trained to enforce that rule.
At this point, Smith said, the facility is not planning to include any fast food partnerships and will sell its own food and packaged alcohol. Slot machines are planned for the location as well.
Smith said the process to start construction would ideally begin in the spring of 2021. Once started, the opening date would be roughly 9-10 months afterward.
Related
- St. Anthony takes steps toward large campus expansion project (January 13, 2021)
-
S.L. Wine Bar coming to Ridge Road, pending approval (January 9, 2021)
-
First step taken to bring Starbucks to Torrence Ave. in Lansing (December 11, 2020)
