TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Dustin Anderson, Director of Community Development
SUBJECT:
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Ordinance Approving a Special Use Permit to Allow a Resale Boutique Within an Existing Tenant Space, Located at 124 N. Ottawa Street (ZBA 2026-30)
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BACKGROUND:
The applicant, Savanna Wilhelmi, is requesting a Special Use Permit to allow a resale boutique within an existing tenant space located at 124 N. Ottawa Street. The City requires a Special Use Permit for businesses where the majority of the merchandise is second-hand.
The four-story brick building sits at the southeast corner of Ottawa and Clinton Streets on a 1/4 acre lot. The circa 1909 mixed use building was built for Hobbs' family who ran the Hobbs Hotel for many years, after which it became known as the Hotel Plaza. The proposed business will occupy one ground floor tenant space in this building at 124 N. Ottawa Street, which is at the southeast corner of Ottawa and Clinton Streets. This property as well as all properties in the general vicinity are zoned B-2 (Central Business District). This is a mixed-use building that is surrounded by a mix of uses that include retail, office, food and beverage service, banking and residential. The store space is approximately 650 square feet in size.
The applicant seeks to open a resale boutique, to be known as Maison Maryanna, that would feature secondhand merchandise including: apparel, bridal wear, tuxedo rental, special occasion wear, accessories, jewelry, home accents, and giftable keepsakes. The store's primary focus would be secondhand bridal selection, which the applicant believes fills a gap in Joliet's retail market. Hours of operation would be Monday-Friday between 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., and the applicant has expressed interest in staying open while Downtown events occur during nighttime and weekend hours.
The business would be situated within an existing mixed-use building that has hosted comparable retail businesses over the years. Staff...
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