Le Journal

Amazon is set to open what it calls the “first-of-its-kind” retail store in Orland Park after receiving the final approval from the village’s board on Monday night.The estimated 230,000-square-foot store at 9600 159th St. will offer shoppers general merchandise, household items and groceries. An Amazon Prime membership won't be required to shop there and it will offer pickup areas and online order integration. There will also be about 800 parking spaces.The project spans 35 acres and includes the former Petey's II restaurant, which shuttered in 2024 and will be demolished during construction.Amazon doesn't yet have a name for its retail concept but said in a statement that it expects to open in late 2027 at the earliest.Some residents expressed concerns about the massive project, saying the approval process was too quick and that the development would create more traffic in an already congested corridor. But attorneys for the village said officials followed the rules regarding notifying the public of the proposed development."The timeline from initial public awareness to potential board approval feels unusually fast for a project of this size and permanence," resident Michael Sipple said during the public comment period. "Releasing a lengthy FAQ just hours before a potential vote does not allow for sufficient time for residents to review and respond, particularly for [a] development that will permanently alter that major corridor and has only been under public review for a few weeks.”The village posted a message on Facebook Monday at 2 p.m., a few hours before taking a vote, that answered residents’ questions about the project.Orland Park first announced on Jan. 3 that Amazon was proposing a development at the southwest corner of 159th Street and LaGrange Road. "Projects like this have the potential to generate substantial sales tax revenue that directly benefits residents while strengthening one of our most important corridors,” Orland Park Mayor Jim Dodge said in a news release at the time.The project went through a two-week long approval process, including two meetings where public comment was encouraged. The village's Plan Commission voted 6-1 to approve the development, during its Jan. 6 meeting. That sent the project to the Committee of the Whole on Monday and then to the Board of Trustees, who voted in the evening.“It shouldn't shock anybody that 35 acres of vacant property … in a place like Orland Park is of high interest to a retailer, and this is a private sector transaction,” Dodge said during Monday's meeting. “This is not village expenditures.“Representatives for the village didn't return requests for comments.Of the 11 residents who spoke during the public comment session, five urged the board to delay approving the project. “I recognize this request may be futile because by all appearances this decision was already made,” resident Joe Soleksaid said. “How does a 230,000-square-foot industrial concrete structure serve as a welcoming entrance to our community?”Solek had created an online petition to pause the vote so community members could have time to share their opinions. The petition had 533 signatures, as of MondayThe village’s elected board — consisting of Dodge, the village clerk and six trustees — expressed support for the project, though two trustees voted to delay the project.Amazon expects to create 500 jobs and about half will be full-time roles. About 200 temporary construction jobs will also be created. More than half of the building will house the store's back-of-the-house operations. Amazon said the space will not be used as a warehouse or fulfillment center for its e-commerce operations. Rendering of Amazon’s new retail concept in Orland Park.Courtesy of the Orland Park Plan Commission As part of its approval, Amazon will also construct sidewalks around the development.Dodge said in Monday's meeting that long-awaited traffic abatement plans will be able to come to fruition, due to sales and…

A 23-year-old man was fatally shot in the 2400 block of West 23rd Street on the Lower West Side about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, police said.The man was standing near a parking lot when an SUV approached and an unknown offender exited the vehicle and fired shots, according to police. The offender fled in an unknown direction.The man suffered gunshot wounds to the head, shoulder and chest and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, police said.No one is in custody, and detectives are investigating.