More than 60 Winnetka residents showed up to Village Hall to weigh in on what should replace the demolished post office at 512 Chestnut St., a prime downtown parcel the village has debated redeveloping since 1986.

On Tuesday, June 9, presented options ranged from leaving the site as a simple lawn to building a four-story mixed-use development with retail, residential units, and underground parking.

Residents used colored stickers and Post-it notes to mark which design concepts they supported or opposed.

Jodie Mariano of Teska Associates, the planning firm leading the community engagement process, said the posters drawing the most interaction featured mixed-use proposals, including a one-and-a-half-story restaurant and a four-story mixed-use building.

"Comparatively (to other open houses), that's a very good turnout," Mariano told The Record North Shore. "I think it just is a testament to how important this space is to the community, right in the heart of the downtown (business) district."

Not everyone favored density. Resident David Stevens said he sees more merit in keeping the site modest, noting there is enough commercial property in the village. Resident Teri Lowinger praised concepts with extra green space but dismissed the vacant-lawn option as "unimaginative and boring."

A second open house was scheduled for Monday, June 15, at Village Hall. An online survey will remain open for six to eight weeks to collect additional feedback from residents who could not attend in person.

Teska Associates will analyze all community input and narrow the field to one or two preferred concepts. Mariano said she expects to present those findings to the Village Council in October.

No trustees have publicly committed to a design direction. The village purchased the property in 1982, and it has been flagged as a redevelopment opportunity since 1986.

The post office relocated to 586 Lincoln Ave. in December 2025, and the Village Council unanimously approved a $585,000 demolition contract with A Lamp Concrete Contractors in March. The building was razed by early June, though the green space will not be publicly accessible until late summer after the sod settles.

The next Village Council meeting is Wednesday, June 24, at Village Hall, 510 Green Bay Road.