Come summer, students can get their tall, triple-shot, raspberry, I’m-way-too-picky lattes just by walking a few minutes from DuSable Hall. Although the combination may be questionable, they can get a spicy burrito, too.

Next to Copy Service along Lincoln Highway, a brand new row of shoebox-like buildings are taking form.

“One will be a Starbucks, and the other will be a Chipotle,” said DeKalb City Manager Mark Biernacki. “There’s obviously more space there than just for those two users, but those are the two major tenants that will be going in there right now.”

Biernacki said since both venues pre-leased their lots, the city built the additional spaces based on the knowledge of the two already-signed storefronts.

Because the city is using strictly private dollars to fund development, the city manager said he couldn’t provide the development cost figures.

But construction has not proceeded without a couple hiccups.

“During the approval process, there were some issues with the drive-thru component with the Starbucks, as far as traffic flow is concerned,” Biernacki said. “We’ve worked that out and that’s all taken care of.”

Russ Farnum, the city’s Community Development director, said concerns lie primarily with congestion on Lincoln Highway.

“There was a concern that there would be a lot of traffic and turning movements at that intersection because Lincoln Highway is so congested in that area now,” he said. “There are a lot of individual business driveways, with each business having both an entrance and an exit driveway. It creates a lot of conflict in that area.”

Despite traffic issues, Farnum said the green light was given anyway.

“Ultimately, it was approved because Starbucks showed they would have the same level of traffic whether or not they had a drive-thru,” he said.

Traffic issues aside, some say putting a Starbucks and Chipotle there is boring.

Junior journalism major Ryan Brutt thinks NIU and DeKalb should exercise their originality as a college town rather than sponsor the tortilla arts.

“We have a coffee shop and 20,000 sub shops,” he said. “I’d like to see something different, maybe paintball or a hobby shop. I’d like to see something that’s more active. True, there’s a rec center, but not all students know how to use that. A place on Lincoln Highway could appeal more to students.”

Liz Pabst, a sophomore communication and journalism double major, was more favorable to expanding food options.

“I think there are enough sandwich joints,” she said. “I think it should be a Noodles [& Company], or a Potbelly’s. A Noodles would be the best though.”

Even though the promise of caffeine may grab the attentions of drowsy college students more quickly, Biernacki’s excited about other new developments.

“Next to Lukulos, there’s a new store that will have a KFC and a Long John Silver’s Restaurant,” he said. “That just got approved by the city.”

The development is currently under construction and will likewise have a summer opening.