UPDATE: Batavia Walgreens, Prairie Path Cycles Plan New Locations

A popular store chain wants to upgrade its downtown Batavia location, but some City Council members are not on board with the layout yet.

Officials from on July 12 presented plans to create a bigger location in the downtown area to the Community Development Committee.

Walgreens officials plan to move its store from 138 W. Wilson St. to 122 W. Wilson St., which is current location. The downtown Batavia Walgreens, which has been at is current location for 20 years, will grow from 12,650 sq. ft. to 14,000 sq. ft.

Prairie Path Cycles will move next to . The move will better allow Prairie Path to model its store after other Trek bike stores, said Austin Dempsey, vice president of Batavia Enterprises.

While city officials were excited to see Walgreens' move to enhance one of its Batavia stores, they didn’t like the corporate design of the new setup, particularly with the parking.

Batavia Enterprises hopes to work with the city to open a new Walgreens by 2013.

“(Walgreens) could go anywhere," said Gerard Dempsey, CEO of Batavia Enterprises. "They’d like to stay in Batavia, they like downtown."

Parking Problem

Walgreens’ plan currently doesn't meet the city's Comprehensive Plan for parking design requirements. City officials want to create a more urban downtown where parking isn’t in front of stores.  

A parking lot right up against Wilson Street isn’t the best thing, Alderman Garran Sparks said.

Alderman Michael O’Brien agreed with Sparks, stating Walgreens’ design doesn’t adhere to the city’s Downtown Streetscape Plan.

“Cars belong in the back of the bus,” Alderman Jim Volk said. “We want to be more pedestrian friendly.”

Although Walgreens doesn’t meet the city’s requirements, Alderman Susan Stark supports the store improving what she considers to be an unattractive area. Stark thinks it is important to keep around one of the highest sales tax producers.

Walgreens' departure would leave two empty spaces, she added.

Alderman Dave Brown pointed out the storefronts off of Wind Energy Pass and Kirk Road failing because their parking wasn’t located in the front of the store.

Those storefronts have a beautiful streetscape, but many of them aren’t occupied, added Mayor Jeff Schielke.

Connecting Walgreens and McDonald's

Batavia Enterprises proposed creating a safe connection across Wilson Street that aligns a new Walgreens prescription drive-through with the entrance to the parking lot.

Connecting Walgreens and McDonald's will create a safer intersection for pedestrians and vehicles, Dempsey said. He also noted that Walgreens increases prescription sales by 15 to 18 percent at a location once a drive-through is added.  

Batavia Enterprises Streetscape Plans

Batavia Enterprises plans to construct a small park with a water feature between the 122 W. Wilson St. site and the former post office located next to its east side, Dempsey said.

“Hopefully this becomes a real good pedestrian area where people want to hang out,” Dempsey said.

Batavia Enterprises also proposed adding traffic-calming devices such as bump-outs as well as wider sidewalks. 

“I’m excited to see them embracing the streetscape,” said Alderman Dawn Tenuta. “It’s the walkable parts that we need to look at as well.”

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