Richmond marijuana dispensary banks on new proposed location

The former Blackhawk Bank building in Richmond is the newest proposed location for a marijuana dispensary in Richmond.

The last location pitched by Zachary Zises of Chicago-based 280E LLC faced pushback from residents who worried about impacts on traffic, but Zises said he is more optimistic about the former bank at 9705 Prairie Ridge Road.

The Richmond Plan Commission is set to consider a special use permit to place a dispensary there and allow on-site consumption of marijuana products. A public hearing is set for 6 p.m. Monday at Richmond Village Hall.

“The location is awesome. It was an amazing thing to fall into our laps,” Zises said.

Base on Zises’ past experience with Chicago area dispensaries, his could bring $360,000 to the village in taxes each year, Village President Toni Wardanian said, citing number Zises provided the village.

Zises first brought a dispensary proposal to the village in August, looking to build a facility at 5500 Swallow Ridge Drive, on the north end of the village and less than a half-mile from the Wisconsin line.

He pulled his petition at an Aug. 22 Plan Commission meeting after residents shared their concerns about that location, including traffic conditions at the intersection.

“When they didn’t like the location, he heard that instantly and he switched gears instantly,” Wardanian said.

At a previous Village Board meeting and the later planning meeting, several residents suggested the shuttered bank as an alternative location.

“When [Zises] was looking for property, it wasn’t even available,” Wardanian said.

The Blackhawk Bank is located on the south end of Richmond, adjacent to the police station and village hall. The shuttered bank’s owner, Beloit, Wisconsin-based Blackhawk Bancorp, announced in May it was closing its Richmond and Island Lake branches.

Zises said he is excited about the bank property, noting the the bank’s built-in security is perfect for a dispensary.

“It is wired for cameras. It already has pipes for IT to deal with the data [cables] in and out. It has an ATM there. Those are the pieces that I think make it ideal,” Zises said. “It was built with security in mind.”

He equated the on-site consumption request to a bar. As with a bar, he said “you have to behave responsibly. The police station is next door. We will be offering people the ability to consume on site” rather than consume as they drive to Wisconsin.

The site is larger than he needs, and he is looking for options to fill the building’s second floor.

Wardanian was optimistic on the tax revenue a dispensary could bring to the village. If the dispensary reaches sales similar to others opened with Zises and his partners, it could sell $12 million in product each year, she said.

With the village’s 3% tax, it would bring $360,000 to Richmond each year. Another 1% would also go to the state and back to Richmond, Zises said.

At village hall, Wardanian said, staff has already talked the potential of putting more money into parks.

“We do not have a separate park district. With budget tightening, the parks are first thing to not get the money it needs or the amenities people are asking for,” she said.

“No one wants to pay more taxes, but we want nice things,” she said.

If approved by the Plan Commission and the Village Board, a dispensary could be open by early spring, Zises said.