Amazon (AMZN) is pushing deeper into physical retail with a proposal for a big-box store in Orland Park, Illinois that would dwarf most traditional retailers.

The e-commerce giant wants to build a 229,000-square-foot retail store on the site of the former Petey's II restaurant, located at the southwest corner of 159th Street and LaGrange Road. We're talking about 35 acres of prime real estate in one of the suburb's busiest commercial areas.

Bigger Than Walmart

To put the scale in perspective, Amazon's proposed one-story building would be larger than a Walmart (WMT) Supercenter. The facility would primarily serve retail purposes with a limited warehouse component, marking Amazon's continued experimentation with physical store formats.

This follows Amazon's string of brick-and-mortar experiments including bookstores, fashion outlets, convenience stores, and supermarkets. Some of those concepts didn't make it, but Amazon keeps testing what works in the physical world.

The proposal also includes plans for multiple future commercial outlots, representing what could be a significant investment in one of Orland Park's most heavily traveled corridors.

For the village, the math is appealing. The development promises steady sales tax revenue to fund municipal services and capital improvements, all without adding residential density to an already congested commercial zone. Of course, local residents have raised concerns about traffic impact.

The Orland Park Plan Commission has already given the green light. Now the proposal heads to the full village board for a vote scheduled for January 19.