The Buffalo Grove Fire Department is investigating the cause of a blaze that broke out Friday afternoon on The Clove construction site in the northwest suburb.
The Clove is a sprawling $150 million redevelopment being built that is planned to include 297 luxury residences, retail and dining establishments, and park space.
According to a village news release, at around 2:30 p.m. Friday, firefighters were called to the site, in the 200 block of McHenry Road, on a report of “a large garbage trailer on fire.”
“Upon arrival, firefighters confirmed a large open top semi-truck dumpster was fully involved,” the release states.
The fire and smoke were directly affecting the seven-story residential building being constructed on the site, the release states. But, the fire department took measures to strike the fire “quickly” so it did not fully spread to the building.
The building was evacuated and no injuries were reported, authorities stated in the release.
The Clove is where the Buffalo Grove Town Center retail strip once stood. Kensington Development Partners purchased the 22-acre site in 2020 looking to create a modern central entertainment and residential district. After years of being plagued with vacancies, the Town Center was partially demolished in August 2022 to make way for the new $150 million mixed-use redevelopment project.
Several restaurants are already open at the location, and the planned 297-unit luxury residential building and green space are also part of the redevelopment plans.
Buffalo Grove officials told Pioneer Press in late 2023 that the construction project was on schedule, with a grocery store that is to anchor the site, anticipated to open this summer. The apartment building had expected to be completed before the close of 2026.
It was not immediately clear Friday how or if the fire may impact the construction timeline.
Village Manager Dane Bragg previously called The Clove “the largest redevelopment project in the history of Buffalo Grove.”
