Bank waits for green light on drive-through

Northwestern Financial Review, Mar 1-Mar 14, 2003

Mount Prospect National Bank is having a little trouble getting a new drive-through constructed. The bank is expanding into the neighboring Illinois suburb of Des Plaines. In order to make room for a drive-through at the bank's chosen location, it is proposing to tear down the back portion of an old movie theater. The plan stirred the theater's previously dormant preservation group into action.

Bank President John Eilering said the battle has put him in a tough spot. City planners told him the group had long been inactive and had no money to preserve the facility, giving the bank the green light to proceed.

"The group came alive as soon as we had everything under contract," said Eilering. They said they want our bank in Des Plaines, but they want to find us a new location. Well, we don't want another location. We've already spent a lot of money on things like architects and traffic studies."

Eilering said he appreciates the group's effort - he himself attended movies at the theater as a child. But the logistics of renovating and maintaining the large theater are undeniable. "It's become an emotional issue," said Eilering. "Unfortunately, the group doesn't have the funds. It's a seven million dollar project to renovate. Even if they were able to raise the money, it's an ongoing operation. It's a large theater."

The preservation group has collected more than a 1,000 signatures to save the theater. The bank's plan took an additional blow when the Des Plaines zoning board of appeals recently voted 4-1 to deny the bank's request for a drive-through. But that's not the end of the road. The matter should be fully hashed out by the end of March following meetings with the city council. Eilering is confident the bank will get its drive through, although it may be required to preserve the theater's facade, Eilering said.