Sterling Commons plans new building in vacant space east of Aspen Dental

STERLING – Sterling Commons is fulfilling its destiny.

Owners of the retail complex plan to build a sleek new 12,328-square-foot multi-tenant, multi-windowed building near its east end, on the vacant site between Aspen Dental and Davita Dialysis.

Sterling Commons is asking the city to rezone its six lots on 7.5 acres to create a regional business/planned development district.

That would bring all the properties under one zoning umbrella, which would allow greater flexibility with things such as setbacks, shared parking and signage than is available under its current regional-business-zoning-only designation.

The Planning Commission voted Thursday to recommend that the council approve the request, which is in keeping with plans for the complex since it first broke ground in 2008.

The request now goes before the City Council, probably at its May 2 meeting, where it is likely to pass.

Lots 2-5 are owned by Sterling Commons Development Inc., while lots 7and 8 are owned by Dyn Sterling LLC. Sunil Puri owns Rockford-based Sterling Commons and manages Dyn Sterling.

First Midwest Group of Rockford manages the site.

The proposed district does not include the Take 5 Oil Change building, which is under construction on its western border.

The contemporary new building, to be built on lot 7, will be brick with “considerable areas of windows and glass doors,” the rezoning application says.

A bank with a drive-thru has signed on for the space on the East Lincolnway side.

The company also has a signed leased from AT&T for a cellphone store for one spot, and a tenant interested in a third spot, which would leave the north end space still available, attorney Marvin Keys, general counsel with First Midwest, told the planning commissioners.

Construction would begin soon after the rezoning is passed.

“We’re ready to move dirt,” Keys said.

The company also owns vacant land east of Menard’s, and two vacant lots across Lincolnway, but has no plans for any of them at the moment, Keys said.

Building out the empty lot dots the i for Sterling Commons.

It is what was intended from the beginning, Keys said, although the owners weren’t sure at first that the project would be a success.

Happily, it has been, he said.

“It’s been very good for us, and hopefully, it’s been very good for the community.”