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Dental office proposed for former Uptown Park Ridge restaurant
A dental clinic is proposed for the vacant building at 28 Main St., once home to a restaurant. | Jennifer Johnson~Sun-Times Media
Updated: December 30, 2012 6:10AM
PARK RIDGE — The Park Ridge City Council has given preliminary approval to requests that could turn a long-vacant former restaurant into dental and medical offices.
During a Nov. 19 meeting aldermen approved the first reading of an ordinance adding medical/dental clinics as special uses within the Uptown Business District’s Uptown Core Sub-District and voted to grant special-use permits for offices at 28 Main St.
Dentist William Parilla, who currently operates a practice in Norridge, has proposed opening a dental clinic at 28 Main St., a building which has been vacant for over three years and was once home to Walter’s Restaurant. Additional medical offices will be located in the rear of the building, according to the proposal.
The matter will return before the City Council Dec. 3 for a final vote.
The city’s Zoning Ordinance allows medical or dental offices within Uptown’s Core Sub-District only if special-use approval is obtained from the Planning and Zoning Commission and the City Council. The intent of the ordinance had been to bring more retail and restaurants to Uptown and limit offices, which do not produce sales tax.
Fourth Ward Alderman Sal Raspanti voted against three motions that went before the council concerning the dental office proposal. Raspanti said he wanted to see documentation that soil contamination on the site had been addressed. Raspanti said this contamination was cited as the reason why plans for an Irish pub at the location were scrapped last year.
“I knew that was a major stumbling block,” Raspanti added.
Jim Testin, director of community preservation and development for the city of Park Ridge, said the bank that owns the Main Street property and the applicant who is planning to buy it have stated that clean-up has occurred. He added that he will look into the matter further to address Raspanti’s concerns.
