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Used car dealership eyeing Sleepy Hollow site for expansion

A used car dealership interested in expanding into Sleepy Hollow could become a significant sales tax revenue generator for the bedroom community, Village President Stephan Pickett said.

Representatives from Midway Autohaus, located in Bridgeview, are eyeing the vacant 1001 W. Main St. property as a site for expanding the family-owned business, CEO Nerijus Makselis said. The 1.6-acre lot and 42,762-square-foot building formerly housed the Sears HomeLife furniture store.

"Our company is trying to grow, and that's a good location for us," Makselis said. "It meets all the criteria - location, lot size, building size and the type of neighborhood we want."

Because car dealerships are not a permitted use in the village, Midway Autohaus submitted an application for a special use permit last month, Pickett said. The village's zoning board will hold a public hearing in the near future, he said, though a date has not been set.

If all goes well, Makselis said he hopes to open the Sleepy Hollow location in early 2017.

The company's expansion would also greatly benefit the village, Pickett said, as the property hasn't been used for retail purposes since the furniture store closed at least a decade ago. Sears continued using the space as a display studio for a few years before clearing out entirely, he said.

Additionally, Pickett said, any major retailer such as a car dealership would likely generate a substantial amount of annual sales tax revenue.

In March, Sleepy Hollow voters passed a referendum proposal to raise property taxes to keep the village afloat for the next few years. Officials have warned taxpayers they might see another request for a tax hike down the road - a move that may not be necessary if the car dealership opens, Pickett said.

"I'm ecstatic about it, personally," he said. "We won't know until they get in there, get open and actually start doing some business ... (but) it might keep us from having to go out for another referendum for an increase in the property tax if it's a successful operation."

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