The scope of a plan to redevelop the 13-acre Naper Settlement outdoor museum drew mixed reviews this week from the Naperville City Council.
Naper Settlement staff members were quick to categorize the plan as purely conceptual during a council workshop. Some council members, however, were astonished by the scope of what was proposed.
“I am flabbergasted by the size of this thing,” Councilman Richard Furstenau said.
The plan shows 40,000 square feet of space in eight new buildings and two additions to structures on the site; a 6,000-square-foot banquet hall; and reconfigured internal roadways.
The new construction would mimic what downtown Naperville looked like in its early years with working shops such as a general store, bakery and ice cream parlor. Other new museum structures proposed include a bicycle shop, tailor shop, bank and a 7,000-square-foot permanent exhibit building.
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The banquet hall would be able to handle about 300 people and was proposed because of the demand made by people booking weddings in the settlement’s chapel.
Peggy Frank, executive director of Naper Settlement, said the project would be broken down in phases over 25 years and that the museum was looking for feedback from the council. Naper Settlement officials declined to comment on projected costs but said they would present hard figures at a later date.