Matteson officials weigh in on business awnings

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Updated: January 22, 2012 2:14AM

Matteson trustees took on the role of decorators Tuesday as they debated the color of awnings for a new retail center at the southwest corner of U.S. 30 and Cicero Avenue.

Officials had to choose between black awnings, multicolored awnings or just forget the awnings and go bare.

The retail center will house Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Chipotle, The Vitamin Shoppe and a yet-to-be-named service business.

The center was originally approved with a black-awning requirement. That was before the tenants suddenly felt the need to express themselves and requested colored awnings to reflect their brand.

At its most recent meeting, the plan commission recommended the elimination of the awning requirement altogether.

Mayor Andre Ashmore and the trustees seemed amused and a little uncomfortable giving their aesthetic opinions.

Trustee Sam Brown said multicolors were a “good compromise” that would “add color and attractiveness to the center.”

Trustee Veloid Cotton agreed, saying, “I’ve seen different colors at other locations and it looked good.”

Trustee Kevin Little disagreed, saying that “a bunch of different colors look too busy.”

Trustee Paula Farr said she “likes black or no awning.”

Ashmore said the new center will be a “gateway to the village” and supported using a single color or nixing the awnings altogether.

The board finally agreed to get rid of the awnings and the colors that go with them.