A proposal to create 325 luxury apartments and an Olympic-caliber swimming pool at the Hilton Oak Brook Hills Resort will be considered later this month.
Although carrying the Oak Brook name, the property for the apartments and natatorium is in Westmont, meaning it will be officials of that community deciding the project’s fate.
The project was slated for a hearing before the Westmont Planning and Zoning Commission Aug. 3, but the developer asked that the hearing be delayed until 7 p.m. Aug. 17 at Westmont Village Hall, 31 W. Quincy St.
“They did not have plans ready,” Jill Ziegler, the village’s community development director, said of the requested continuance.
Oak Brook officials and residents have already expressed their criticism of the proposal, saying the density of the project would create traffic problems.
The village has already sent a letter to Westmont leaders expressing opposition to the project because of the additional traffic it would bring to the area.
In late July, the Westmont Planning and Zoning Commission discussed the proposal for more than four hours. Members of the panel were generally not supportive of the development because of its density and potential lack of parking.
That is what sent developer Peter Dumon of the Harp Group back to the drawing board on the project. Harp bought Oak Brook Hills two years ago.
“It looks like a monolithic structure,” Ed Richard, chairman of the Planning Commission said of the proposed seven-story luxury apartment complex at that July meeting. “For a stand-alone structure, it could be enhanced tremendously.”
The $100 million development proposal calls for the apartment complex, natatorium, spa, wine bar, coffee shop and car share service to be built on an 18-acre parking lot at Oak Brook Hills.
The natatorium would be paid for by a foundation run by the family of Oak Brook resident Mary Ann Kaufman. It would include two pools: one for training top athletes and competitions, the other for the public. The facility would include seating for 1,200 people.
Kevin Beese is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
