Zen Leaf will join the 49th Ward office for a community meeting on Wednesday, March 8, at 6 pm to discuss a request to change the Planned Development at the Gateway Center. Zen Leaf owns a medicinal and recreational dispensary at 7305 N. Rogers and is looking to relocate it into a vacant storefront located on Clark. 

The dispensary has outgrown its location on Rogers and has been searching for a new storefront in Rogers Park that would allow more space to accommodate its customers. Previously, they had considered the former Leona's location on Sheridan. However, the proposal was withdrawn after hearing from neighbors that while they supported the dispensary, they thought that an alternative location would be more suitable for the business.

In November, my office shared an update that JB Albertos made an offer to purchase the former Leona's location. We are hopeful that conversations between JB Albertos and the property owner at Leona's can resume.

Since the proposal was withdrawn, we have been working with Zen Leaf to address the concerns and propose alternative sites.  After several months, Zen Leaf landed on the retail space directly north of the existing Aspen Dental in the Gateway Centre Plaza at 7541 N. Clark. The location will provide Zen Leaf with approximately 4,800 square feet of retail space and 100 parking spaces immediately east of the building. With its proximity to multiple transit options, its central location, and the ample on-site parking available, the owners feel that this location will ideally meet the needs of its customers and patients. It will also fill a currently vacant storefront in a critical commercial corridor in the ward.

In order to establish a dispensary at this location, ownership must first amend the planned development that governs the zoning for the property. The only proposed change to the planned development would be to allow a medical and recreational dispensary within the planned development boundaries.  No other changes to the bulk or density of the planned development are proposed.  If ownership is successful in amending the planned development, it will still need to secure special use approval from the Zoning Board of Appeals. 

Ownership intends to file for the planned development amendment in March 2023 and then for the special use approval in July 2023.  The owners hope to open the new location by the end of 2023.   

My office will host a community meeting on the proposal on Wednesday, March 8, at 6 pm via Zoom. To register to attend the meeting, visit bit.ly/2023TownHalls. Spanish translation will be available.