Nov. 14--The opening of a large furniture store in Downers Grove could be delayed several months as part of a revised incentive deal the village is considering.
Art Van Furniture plans to set up shop at 1021 Butterfield Road, a sprawling but long-vacant site that previously was home to a Home Depot Expo.
Council members unanimously agreed in November 2013 to bring the Michigan-based chain to town with an incentive agreement in which the village will rebate a portion of the local sales and home rule tax for 15 years. Under the original contract, the store had to open for business by March 2015.
The modified agreement, which was reviewed Nov. 11, maintains the same tax rebate arrangement but pushes back the deadline of the store opening until Dec. 31, 2015.
However, company officials told the council that the plan still is to get up and running by Memorial Day next year. The store will comprise 80,000 square feet of retail and 20,000 square feet of office space.
Art Van has locations in Chicago, Bedford Park, Orland Park and Woodridge/Bolingbrook, according to a company website. A store in Burbank also is planned.
