Willow Creek Proposal Moves Closer to Approval

The proposal to build a mega church at 2000 Shermer Rd. is making its way through the regulatory process, having gotten preliminary approval from the Appearance Commission last week for its lighting and signage plans.

Willow Creek Community Church is hoping to build a 75,000 square-foot facility that will have capacity for 1,500 people per service. The church purchased one of the last available parcels from the old Glenview Naval Air Station this spring, while residential developer Edward R. James Partners bought the other parcel, for a total of $22 million.

The Appearance Commission gave its preliminary stamp of approval to the lighting and signage at its Jan. 29 meeting. It requested some changes to landscaping and screening, however. The Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled to take up the issue Feb. 13.

Both parcels under consideration were purchased by the village of Glenview in 2007 for $23.9 million—but development stalled due to the economic crisis, and the village did not send out a request for proposals until 2012.

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