Last month, Arlington Heights based grocery chain Valli Produce, Inc. announced plans to open a 70,000 square-foot supermarket in Evanston Plaza, Dempster Street and Dodge Avenue, in the space formerly occupied by a Dominick’s food store, according to information provided by the City of Evanston.
Evanston Plaza would be the fourth suburban location for Valli Produce, which offers a large selection of fruit and vegetables, imported foods and other grocery items.
Those plans may expand to take over the entire shopping center. Johanna Nyden of the City’s Economic Development Division told the RoundTable on Aug. 27 that Valli Produce is in negotiations with Bonnie Management, the current owner, to purchase the shopping center, but “Valli has not purchased the shopping center.” She added that the parties are bound by a confidentiality agreement and are limited as to what they can disclose at this time.
A proposed resolution to substitute the Valli Produce ownership team, operating as Azzurri of Evanston, LLC (‘Azzurri’) for Bonnie Mangement in a TIF Redevelopment Agreement was pulled off the agenda of an Aug. 11 City Council meeting. That Agreement authorizes the City Manager to negotiate a distribution of up to $2 million in TIF funds to Bonnie Management to be used for tenant improvements, site improvements and/or canopy repair.
City Council is holding up on moving forward with any change in the TIF Redevelopment Agreement until it receives further direction from Bonnie Management and Valli, said Ms. Nyden.