Construction of the Courthouse Square development in downtown Wheaton could start as early as January, after city officials approved of the latest plans for the site on Monday.
Council members voted 6-1 for a special-use permit for developers to build two apartment buildings near Naperville Road and Willow Avenue.
Wheaton Mayor Mike Gresk called the years of negotiation tortuous. “But it’s happening and I will support this because I think we need to move forward on this,” he said.
Councilman John Prendiville was the sole opposing vote and stood by his concerns at a previous meeting about the masonry on the buildings.
“I think when it finally comes to fruition, it’ll have a positive impact on the south side of the railroad tracks for our city,” he said although noting that he still isn’t satisfied with the plans.
“It’ll be a lesser-quality building. Still a good-quality building. … but it won’t be to the standards the city originally bargained for,” he said.
Councilman John Rutledge was among the majority who voted for the new plan.
“You have to make the numbers work or it won’t get developed at all,” he said. “I am firmly in favor of getting this done so we can get this project up and running. … I want to see this get done and soon.”
The history of the Courthouse Square project goes back a decade, when the developers approached the city with a proposal to build condominiums and town houses. Although the city put in money to help revitalize the area, the project was partially built but never finished because of the slowdown in the housing market.
A senior housing project was later brought forward and the city approved it, spurring a lawsuit from residents who live in the current units. A settlement was reached recently when developers agreed to abandon plans for senior housing and, instead, seek rezoning for apartments on the property.
An end to the gridlock on the development will allow new property tax dollars to come in and alleviate debt the city incurred for improvements in the area when a special taxing district was created in 2005 to spur development.
“This has been a long, arduous process for you and for us in the Courthouse Square development,” said Tim Anderson, president and owner of Focus Development. “The TIF has been in process since 2005. We felt the pain of the downturn. You, the city, has felt the pain of the downturn.
“I just think that right now, this project being launched will be on a road of recovery, both of the healing between maybe the neighbors and us and also the fact that we can launch something that will be, I think, a really valuable asset in addition to the downtown of Wheaton.”
Construction is expected to start in the first quarter of 2015 and possibly as early as January, Anderson said.
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