Members of the Gurnee Plan Commission responded favorably Wednesday night to an informal proposal to build about 60 townhouses on the northwest corner of Milwaukee Avenue and Manchester Drive.
The proposal was made by Brian Harris, of Westfield Homes Inc., who noted that although the eight-acre parcel is zoned commercial, no serious proposals for commercial development of the site have been made in more than 20 years.
If approved, the Westfield development would consist of 13 buildings of four or five units each. About 60 percent of the site would be reserved for open space, particularly along the north side, where the property abuts a subdivision of single-family homes, Harris said.
The 1,300- to 1,800-square-foot townhouses would be priced at about $180,000 and marketed to empty nesters and young couples without children.
Commissioners said they generally approved of the plan but suggested a larger buffer zone along Milwaukee Avenue and a possible reduction in density before the developer makes a formal application.
“It sounds like the townhouse concept is something we’re all in favor of,” said Donald Rudny, chairman of the Plan Commission.
