NORWOOD PARK — Ald. Mary O'Connor (41st) is weighing a proposal to lift the ban on liquor stores in downtown Norwood Park.
Zitella Corp. has informed the alderman's office it would like to open a "high-end" wine and spirits shop in the newly built strip mall at 6060 N. Northwest Hwy., where there is a ban on packaged goods liquor licenses.
Heather Cherone says officials are trying to keep "downtown" Norwood Park a destination spot:
A meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Norwood Park field house, 5801 N. Natoma Ave., will help O'Connor gather reaction from the community about the proposal, said Nick Haak, an aide to the alderman.
"We want to see how the community feels about the possibility of lifting the moratorium," Haak said.
There are no liquor stores in downtown Norwood Park.
Sam Zitella, whose firm built the strip mall, did not return a phone message Friday about the proposal, which has not been filed with city officials. The store would also need a special-use permit from the city's Zoning Board of Appeals.
The strip mall includes a Subway sandwich shop and Mo Dailey's Pub and Grille, which serves beer, wine and spirits.
The packaged goods liquor license moratorium does not affect restaurant's ability to serve booze.
The moratorium on packaged goods liquor licenses has been in place between Raven Street and Neola Avenue since 2007, Haak said.
The alderman will decide whether to support the proposed store based on feedback from the community, Haak said.
Earlier this year, O'Connor blocked an application for a liquor license from the 7-Eleven convenience store at 6200 N. Sayre Ave and extended the ban on booze sales to include the area around it after community members objected.
A similar proposal for an "upscale" wine and spirits store in Gladstone Park has drawn fire from nearby residents concerned it will create a nuisance in their neighborhood.
The city's Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled to decide whether to issue a permit for the Gladstone Park store in September.
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