Homer Glen officials said Wednesday they want resident feedback on a potential residential and commercial development on 159th Street.
Legacy Development Group proposes to build Arya, a $100 million investment that includes a combination of condominiums or apartment buildings as well as retail space and professional office buildings on 15.5 acres at 12500 W. 159th St.
Developers said the project would be eco-friendly and include solar panels and green roofs, ways to treat and reuse rainwater and charging stations for electric vehicles. The development would be heavily forested, include a natural prairie area and several ponds and have about 1.7 miles of walking paths, developers said.
Fronting 159th Street, one of the village’s commercial corridors, would be two commercial buildings on about 5.5 acres with space for businesses, restaurants and professional offices as well as outdoor rooftops for restaurants.
Behind the commercial development would be a gated community consisting of four buildings containing 170 condominium units or apartments on about 10 acres. Each building would have a rooftop penthouse and an open air roof deck with three floors of homes below it, according to project documents. The development would also feature a clubhouse, pool, fire pit, gym, game room and gathering space.
“We think it will set a very high standard of development for the future of the 159th corridor, which is a very important corridor for Homer Glen,” said George Arnold, an attorney for the project. “The combination of the eco-friendly design, the sustainable features, the lifestyle amenities will make this a mixed use development that will exemplify Homer Glen’s motto of community and nature in harmony.”
The Village Board heard the details during a workshop meeting Wednesday. The project is in the early stages and would still need to undergo review by village staff, a public hearing by the Plan Commission and then a vote by the full board.
Village trustees said they’d like to hear residents’ opinions about the project through public hearings or workshops, likely in the new year. No votes have been taken to approve or deny the project.
“I want to talk to our people,” Trustee Ruben Pazmino said. “I want to hear what everybody has to say. This is a huge deal. … We are representing the residents and we have to make sure this fits.”
Trustee Dan Fialko said he was concerned about occupancy rates and if the buildings were only partially occupied several years after construction.
Mayor George Yukich said he liked the plan.
“I’m definitely in favor of this,” he said. “It is very good for the village. It’ll bring money into the village. It’ll bring commercial into the village.”
The village’s 2005 comprehensive plan states the use for this property is commercial along 159th Street and single-family low density homes in the back, according to village documents.
The plan states Homer Glen will continue to be primarily a single-family residential community and the village will consider a limited amount of new high-quality multifamily housing in selected locations as long as the developments have innovative site planning, protect environmental features, contain a significant amount of open space and are compatible with nearby existing residential areas.
Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
