Evanston’s blighted Main Street Commons shopping center soon could attract new retail if Evanston City Council grants tax rebates to the developer.

Bond Capitol Limited of Chicago bought the shopping center, just east of the Main and McCormick Blvd. bridge, a few months ago but has delayed improvements in hopes of receiving $1.5 million in sales-tax benefits.

The plan would exempt businesses from a certain percentage of sales taxes that would normally go to the city, thus helping with start-up costs. The rebates would continue until they equal whatever amount the council designates.

The proposal still is being discussed by the Economic Development Committee, and the full council must approve a final plan to effect it.

The committee discussed plans to bring in a Food 4 Less discount grocery store, but developer Robert Bond said nothing was certain.

The company also wants to divide a former hardware store into a number of new shops.

Bond also plans to do landscaping, repave the parking lot and create a higher storefront that will be more visible from Main Street.

“One of our main goals is creating a shop space facing Main Street, where it belongs, rather than having it in the back portion of the lot,” said Bond, adding that the current configuration was “poor planning from the start.”

Ald. Edmund Moran (6th), a member of the committee, welcomed the improvements. He said the center now exudes “a sense of morbidity.”

While much of the shopping center is vacant, the Marshall’s and Sam’s Club stores in the center could benefit from the improvements.

“Any business that comes into the center is going to help us overall,” said Kent Westphal, manager of Marshall’s.

But South Evanston resident Chris Granner questioned the $1.5 million in rebates.

“It seems like we ought to at least bargain a little harder than we have done,” Granner said. “Would they not come if we said it’s not worth a million and a half?”

Despite the financial criticism, Granner said he supported the overall idea. “People aren’t falling all over themselves to get into that property and (Bond) seems suitable.”

Moran said concerns about traffic and crowding could arise but said these would be welcome problems in this area.

“From an economic standpoint, to me, these are good problems,” Moran said. “I’d much rather deal with complications that come from successful development than in an area where you don’t have it.”