After three community meetings, the village of River Forest is moving ahead with plans to redevelop vacant, village-owned lots at the northeast corner of Madison Street and Ashland Avenue.
River Forest village President Cathy Adduci and village administrator Matt Walsh said the plan is advancing to the Development Review Board, which handles Planned Unit Development applications for large-scale projects. Walsh said the meeting would only be an introduction of the proposal, and no vote will be taken – but the residents will be able to weigh in. The meeting is at 7 p.m. Feb. 19 at River Forest Village Hall.
Chicago-based Five Thirty-One Partners proposed to build a five-story mixed use development with retail on the first floor and apartments on the four floors above. The proposal was unveiled in mid-January, and village officials have held three community meetings to give residents a chance to look at the proposal and offer comments. Adduci said traffic and parking were major concerns – something that she said will be addressed before anything goes up for approval.
The property is made up of three lots: 7612-7620 Madison used to be home to Lutheran Child and Family Services. The two lots behind it, at 10 Lathrop Ave. and 11 Ashland Ave., were private homes. By the time River Forest acquired them in the late 2010s, the buildings had been vacant for years.
Adduci said redeveloping the property as a mixed-use building was part of the village’s 2019 comprehensive plan, which she described as “our guiding North Star.” The plan, she said, generally seeks to revitalize the River Forest side of Madison Street. The village is also looking to increase housing stock – always a tricky feat for a landlocked municipality. Adduci said that they bought the three lots specifically so that there would be as much room to redevelop as possible.
River Forest demolished the structures in 2023. Two years later, it hired Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. to market the properties.
Five Thirty-One Partners is proposing to build a five-story building with retail on the first floor, 72 apartments and a rooftop deck. Parking would be located on the first floor and the two rear lots.
Adduci said officials believe the development will be a good fit for the area. The two-bedroom, three-bedroom and four-bedroom units would suit young professionals who want to start a family, while the one-bedroom units would be a good fit for empty-nesters who want to downsize without leaving the village – something that Adduci said she could relate to as an empty-nester.
“I think that’s what we all want,” she said. “We want young professionals to come back to River Forest and raise their families in the community. We want empty nesters to stay in River Forest, because they love it here.”
Pragmatically, Adduci said, River Forest, as well as local school districts and other government bodies that serve the village, need more revenue. The proposed development would bring in property taxes and sales taxes. Walsh said River Forest expects the development to generate around $600,000 in property taxes. The sales tax revenue, he said, would be hard to estimate until the village knows what type of business would go into the retail space.
The development sits on the River Forest side of the village’s border with Forest Park. Walsh said that he’s been regularly meeting with his Forest Park counterpart, village administrator Rachell Entler.
“We want to keep the (Madison Street corridor) vibrant for both communities,” he said.
Adduci said that, in the wake of the meeting, one thing she wanted to be clear on was that the new tenants would not be allowed to park in front of the nearby homes. Five Thirty-One Partners will be required to submit a traffic study.
Adduci said that the village is sensitive to concerns about increased traffic and parking, and with it, increased emissions. The proximity to Pace bus 318 and the CTA Blue Line Forest Park terminal, should help address that.
“One of the goals is to reduce cars and traffic,” Adduci said, calling the project a “transit oriented development.”
Walsh encouraged residents to take part in the online survey at the proposal’s website, at vrf.us/Madison, as well as to attend the Feb. 19 meeting to comment in person. Afterwards, there will be a meeting specifically for neighbors – followed by more community development meetings.
“Were very excited,” Walsh said. “The Village Board is excited about brings this project forward and getting something on this site.”
Igor Studenkov is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
