Palatine's Durty Nellie's could be transformed into a massive new development, but what will that mean for the fate of the beloved pub and music venue?
Major changes could be in store if new plans revealed by the owners are approved.
Under the proposal announced Wednesday, the current space would be demolished and replaced with a massive multi-use complex featuring apartments, a rooftop pub and commercial space.
While Durty Nellie's would still return as part of the commercial space, it will be significantly smaller than what many have come to know of the space.
“We have loved the evolution of Durty Nellie’s in Palatine, from starting out on the east side of the downtown, to our current location – but our venue has become too large for what customers are looking for today,” co-owner James Dolezal said. “We have thought long and hard about this decision and taken it very seriously; this proposed new development will help us to stay in the community that we love to serve.”
The redevelopment plans for the property at 180-190 N. Smith St. include the creation of a six-story, "mixed-use luxury apartment building," though the ground floor and roof would be used for commercial purposes.
The 18,000-square-foot space would include 85 "high end residential units" on the second through the sixth floors, along with 10,000 square feet of commercial space, 3,500 of which would be dedicated to a new version of Durty Nellie's. Amenities would include spaces like a workout room, grills, rooftop fire pits and more.
The development proposal was presented to the Palatine Plan Commission last week and now heads for a review and public hearing by the Palatine Village Council next week. If the plan is ultimately given final approval, the group - which also consists of Jonathan Payne, one of the developers behind The Arboretum in South Barrington and Deer Park Town Center in Park, and Jim Tinaglia of Tinaglia Architects - aims to begin the project in early 2024, with construction taking an estimated 18 months to two years.
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“We appreciate the Village of Palatine working with us to determine if this project can come to fruition, and are looking forward to creating a new future for Durty Nellie’s,” Mark Dolezal said in a statement.
Durty Nellie's has been a staple in Palatine for decades, but the business was hit hard by a fire in January 2019 that closed the pub, its kitchen and band room for several months. It then struggled again when the COVID-19 pandemic hit shortly after it was able to fully reopen.
