Trustees concerned over One Winnetka’s lack of retail, parking

A national fitness brand’s hopes to set up shop in downtown Winnetka didn’t get any stronger Tuesday night, when village trustees debated if the use is too much of a stretch for one of the most sought-after buildings in town.

Winnetka’s Village Council during its Feb. 17 meeting considered a special-use request from the popular fitness studio Solidcore that, if approved, would allow the trendy brand to open a location in the One Winnetka building.

The request came to the council with a negative recommendation (5-3) from the village’s Plan Commission in January, when commissioners argued the proposed studio did not meet several standards within the zoning district.

Although trustees expressed a strong desire to welcome Solidcore to the Winnetka business community, the council struggled with many of the same issues as the plan commissioners, including parking and fit within the village’s retail overlay district.

The council cast no formal vote during the Feb. 17 session and ultimately requested the applicant and representatives from Murphy Development Group, One Winnetka’s developer, return with ideas to curb parking concerns as well as additional details about other tenants who have expressed interest in the space.

“We’d like to see this business in town,” Village President Bob Dearborn said. “I think you’ve heard that loud and clear from everyone you’ve met with in the village. One Winnetka is a gem and in this town we want it to succeed, so maybe we can get over some of these hurdles.”

Businesses of One Winnetka

Solidcore is hoping to fill an approximately 2,300-square-foot space at 736 Elm St., a portion of the nearly 21,000 square feet of commercial space that’s included in the One Winnetka development. Scott Mangum, Winnetka’s community development director, said the space is on the western portion of the building’s north-facing commercial space.

The Record reported in late 2025 that Murphy Development had already signed leases for the building’s six spaces, and village officials have already approved special-use permits for the Winnetka Aesthetic Studio medical office and a Charles Schwab financial services office for the project.

Additionally, as previously reported by The Record, two of the other storefronts will be filled by Ballyhoo Hospitality’s new Mediterranean restaurant, Arkadia, and another dining concept, Fare, a natural-food, fast-casual restaurant with several locations in Chicago and one coming soon to Oak Park.

Winnetka’s Plan Commission during its upcoming Feb. 25 meeting is expected to hear a proposal from Duet Preservation Audiology for a special-use permit to fill the storefront at 730 Elm St.

‘Can’t believe we have no retail’

All of the proposed commercial occupants of One Winnetka are service or dining enterprises. The lack of a retail presence irked some trustees.

The inclusion of new retail businesses was a selling point that One Winnetka planners first pitched during the approval process for the massive development in the heart of town. But if the six businesses that have already signed leases for the spaces along Elm all move forward, the building will have zero retail included in its final form.

Trustee Bridget Orsic was particularly critical of this, ushering several sharp disapprovals throughout the Feb. 17 meeting. Orsic called the lack of retail “perplexing” and later described the proposed uses to this point as “meh.”

“Is there nothing more vibrant that we can put in this space?” she asked her fellow councilmembers.

And although she at several points expressed her strong support for Solidcore’s business, she concluded her remarks by saying that she “can’t believe we have no retail in that whole entire (One Winnetka) building.”

Trustees Rob Apatoff and Scott Myers also questioned the lack of retail and wondered if a wider net could have been cast when drawing potential tenants to the development.

Deirdre Clein, of Murphy Development Group, said the developer talked to multiple apparel and home goods companies and was not able to find a match.

She also noted the development team is looking for “stable and credible tenants” and requires “corporate guarantees to be signed as part of our leases,” which does narrow the pool for who can be considered.

“We heard the village over and over that you guys wanted retail … and walking around downtown, I really see why,” Clein said. “It really adds to the character in the community. I do want to make sure that the village is aware that we did try. We pursued that and there was nothing that ever came of it.”

‘Already a beehive’

Trustees also focused largely on the issue of parking in the area, stressing that the village has already seen significant concerns from both existing retailers and residents regarding a lack of available parking.

“I have talked to many retailers on that street and their hair is on fire about parking already and so while I want to be gracious and say it won’t be so much of a strain … (but) it’s already a beehive down there,” Apatoff said.

Dearborn also expressed concern that the parking included as part of the One Winnetka project was first pitched as a public benefit. He said officials now feel that the parking has been repurposed as just a means for the building’s businesses.

He did also note that “parking over there is definitely problematic.”

One Winnetka is a four-story, mixed-use development with three floors for 59 residential units. As part of the project, developers previously committed to adding 39 public parking spaces at ground level.

Trustees gave final approval to the plan in January 2025, about 10 months after giving it preliminary approval and ending more than a decade’s worth of discussion, deliberations and public meetings regarding one of the most prized redevelopment opportunities in New Trier Township.

Solidcore could return with revised plans as soon as March, but representatives present at the meeting declined to answer The Record’s questions about when and if the business will reappear in front of Village Council.

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