In a previous edition of the Sun Day, residents were informed of an ongoing lawsuit filed by Huntley Investment Partners LLC, against the Village of Huntley over the Village Board’s rejection of an industrial project on the former site of the Huntley Outlet Center. While Huntley Village officials have declined to comment on the lawsuit, public court records indicate that the Village of Huntley attempted to file a motion to dismiss which was ultimately denied on October 17 of last year.
The statewide shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic delayed court proceedings, but as of recently, it appears that a trial date has been set for October 19 in room 204 of the McHenry County Courthouse with judge, Kevin Costello, overseeing the trial proceedings.
Sometime in 2019, residents may have taken notice to the large sign advertising the arrival of a Panera Bread franchise due to open on the southeast corner of Route 47 and Kreutzer Road. In the January 24, 2019 edition of the Sun Day, director of Development Services, Charles Nordman, was cited as saying Panera had made plans to begin construction in June of that year. Yet, as time went by, that sign was then changed to reflect a new opening date for the year 2020. Months of no further updates later and the sign having since disappeared, has left locals wondering when Panera Bread will actually open for business.
Interim Huntley Village manager, Lisa Armour, responded in an email correspondence stating, “the Panera franchisee informed [village] staff that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all projects for 2020 have been put on hold, and that the Huntley location was now a 2021 project.”
COVID-19 may have put the Panera Bread project out of commission until next year, but hasn’t stopped another construction project from continuing its plans to open soon.
Since early 2019, developers were in the process of putting in an application to begin construction on a Thornton’s Gas Station on the northwest corner of Route 47 and Kreutzer Road. The Huntley Village Board approved the plans for the 4,515 square foot gas station on July 25, 2019. Despite all that has transpired since that time, Armour has confirmed that Thornton’s Gas Station is expected to begin construction within the next few months.
“Thornton’s has indicated that they are planning to start construction sometime this summer,” Armour said.
