826 Smith AveLake Bluff, IL 60044
12,500 SF commercial pad with 100 feet on Waukegan Road (IL-43), zoned GC General Commercial. Ground lease at $4,000/month NNN, build-to-suit from $130,000/year NNN, or for sale at $499,000.
A Waukegan Road pad for coffee, quick service or a small office
826 Smith Ave is a 12,500 SF commercial lot with 100 feet of frontage on Waukegan Road (IL-43) in Lake Bluff, in unincorporated Lake County. Available on a ground lease at $4,000 a month ($48,000 a year) NNN, as a build-to-suit from $130,000 a year NNN depending on the building, or for sale at $499,000.
The two lots are zoned GC General Commercial under the Lake County Unified Development Ordinance. The county's use table lists a restaurant or coffee shop, retail, office and medical office as permitted uses in GC, so those uses go through county site plan review rather than a rezoning or special-use hearing; building, engineering and IDOT access permits also apply. County standards allow up to 3,750 SF of building, up to 35 feet tall.
Waukegan Road carries 20,400 vehicles a day (IDOT, 2025), and Rockland Road (IL-176) is a quarter mile south. A platted alley runs along the rear of the lot. An older house and garage stand on the site today. Tenant or buyer to verify all information.
The site
See it in motion
Ground-lease terms
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ground lease | $4,000/month ($48,000/year), NNN |
| Build-to-suit | From $130,000/year NNN, depending on the building |
| Sale | $499,000 |
| Lot | 12,500 SF (0.29 AC): two lots, 100 ft on Waukegan Rd × 125 ft deep |
| Expenses | Tenant pays real estate taxes, insurance and maintenance |
| Increases | 10% every 5 years (asking) |
Why the pad pencils
Zoned GC General Commercial in unincorporated Lake County. The county's use table lists a restaurant or coffee shop, retail, office and medical office as permitted uses, so they go through county site plan review rather than a rezoning or special-use hearing. Waukegan Rd carries 20,400 vehicles a day, and Rockland Rd (IL-176) is a quarter mile south.
Positioning
Fits a compact coffee or quick-service format, a carryout restaurant, or a small office, medical or retail building. Rent is for the whole lot.
Who this pad fits
Coffee or Drive-Thru
A compact coffee building. A drive-thru needs room for the county's stacking guideline and site plan approval, so the layout decides whether it fits. Tenant to verify with Lake County.
Quick-Service & Carryout
A small restaurant or carryout business. The county's parking table sets the building size, so compact formats fit best.
Office
A two-story office building of up to about 3,750 SF of floor area, the most the lot allows. A medical office's size depends on its exam rooms and staff under the county's parking table.
Retail or Service
A freestanding retail or service building of up to about 3,000 SF, with 100 feet of frontage on a state route.
Also for sale at $499,000. Ask about build-to-suit if you need a building delivered.
Location & surroundings
The lot is on the east side of Waukegan Road (IL-43) between Smith Avenue and Blodgett Avenue, in unincorporated Lake County with a Lake Bluff address. The Waukegan Road frontage here is zoned for commerce, with established residential streets behind it. A McDonald's is about 730 feet south, and the Rockland Road (IL-176) intersection, carrying 16,800 vehicles a day, is a quarter mile south. Water comes from Lake County Public Works and sewer service from the North Shore Water Reclamation District.
What’s around it
| Address | Distance | Lot | County zoning | Last usable sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1207 N Waukegan Rd | <0.1 mi | 0.14 ac | GC | None on file |
| 2211 N Waukegan Rd | <0.1 mi | 0.19 ac | GC | None on file |
| 3124 N Waukegan Rd | 0.1 mi | 0.14 ac | GC | None on file |
| 4210 N Waukegan Rd | 0.1 mi | 0.14 ac | GC | None on file |
| 5115 N Waukegan Rd | 0.1 mi | 0.29 ac | GC | None on file |
| 6116 N Waukegan Rd | 0.1 mi | 0.15 ac | GC | None on file |
| Address | Type | Year | Price | $/SF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7215 N Waukegan Rd | Retail / office | 2021 | $280,000 | $86/SF |
The Commercial Property Lookup lists 38 vacant land parcels of 0.14 to 0.58 acres in Lake Bluff →
Built by Jason Bitton RE/MAX Commercial from public property records, then cleaned, classified and checked; records as of September 30, 2026. Distances are straight-line from this property. Not an appraisal or an opinion of value; records can be wrong or out of date.
Own one of these? Get a confidential opinion of value →Tenant questions
What is available at 826 Smith Ave?+
Two lots totaling 12,500 SF (0.29 acre) of commercial land, with 100 feet on Waukegan Road and 125 feet of depth. Available on a ground lease, as a build-to-suit, or for sale. An older house and garage stand on the site today. Tenant or buyer to verify.
What are the rent and sale price?+
Ground lease: $4,000 a month ($48,000 a year), NNN, with 10% increases every 5 years (asking). Build-to-suit: from $130,000 a year NNN, depending on the building. Sale: $499,000 (see the sale listing).
What is the zoning and what uses are allowed?+
GC General Commercial in unincorporated Lake County. Lake County handles zoning, not the Village of Lake Bluff. Under the county's use table, a restaurant or coffee shop, retail, office, medical office, bank, veterinary clinic and health club are permitted uses in GC. Tenant to verify its specific use with Lake County.
Can it have a drive-thru?+
A restaurant is a permitted use in GC. A drive-thru also has to meet the county's vehicle stacking guideline and pass site plan review, so whether one fits depends on the layout. Tenant to verify with Lake County.
How large a building can go on the lot?+
Up to 3,750 SF of floor area (a 0.30 floor area ratio), up to 35 feet tall, with no more than 70% of the lot covered by building and paving. Parking sets the practical size at roughly 3,000 SF of retail or up to 3,750 SF of office. A restaurant's or medical office's size depends on the county's parking standard for that use. Tenant to verify.
How much traffic passes the site?+
Waukegan Road (IL-43) carries 20,400 vehicles a day, and Rockland Road (IL-176), a quarter mile south, carries 16,800 (IDOT, 2025 counts).
How is access handled?+
Waukegan Road is a state route. A new driveway needs an IDOT access permit. A platted alley runs along the rear of the lot.
Who handles the site work and the existing house?+
Under a ground lease, the tenant builds and gets its approvals. With a build-to-suit, ownership builds for the tenant on terms to be agreed. Plans for the existing house and garage are part of those terms.
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