Discussion of a proposed $90 million development on a vacant industrial site on Northwest Highway in Des Plaines revealed a deep divide among aldermen on the best use of the land.
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The developer, Dearborn-Buckingham Group, wants to construct 127 townhomes in 24 buildings and a 270-unit apartment building on nearly 21 acres at the former Littlefuse site, 800 East Northwest Highway.
Aldermen voted 7-1 last week to defer further discussion on a requested zoning change and preliminary plans to a Sept. 8 meeting.
Several aldermen said they didn’t believe a residential development was the best use of the property. Mayor Matt Bogusz said a consensus about the future use of the site was needed regardless of the proposed project.
“I, for one, believe that Des Plaines is one of only a few communities along the Northwest corridor who have easy access to two Metra stations, and it would be a real shame if we didn’t try to squeeze as much out of that,” Bogusz said.
First Ward Alderman Patricia Haugeberg said she didn’t believe the site was conducive for a neighborhood because of traffic and parking issues and the inability to walk downtown.
“I think it’s just a great deal of traffic accidents waiting to happen,” she said.
Chris Coleman, president of Dearborn-Buckingham, said the area, though it presents a few design challenges, is an ideal site for a residential development, given the access to public transit and shopping and dining opportunities in downtown Des Plaines.
He said an attempt was made, but failed, to rope commercial entities into the project. The site has been vacant since 2008 when Littlefuse, a manufacturer of electric-circuit protection equipment, moved its headquarters to Chicago.
Over the course of several plan commission and community meetings, Coleman said plans were tweaked to address concerns presented by city staff and residents.
While the original plans met the parking requirement for two spaces for every housing unit, Coleman said the design was changed to accommodate two more spaces behind each of the townhouse builidngs for guest parking. Three parks with amenities ranging from a gazebo to a bocce ball court were added after a request by the Des Plaines Park District. A 10-foot wide walking path along Northwest Highway was also included to assuage concerns about pedestrian access.
In his presentation to the council, Coleman said he estimated the development would generate nearly $1.2 million a year in property taxes and house 51 school-aged children. In tax year 2014, he said, the property produced $87,000 in taxes.
Council members, including Ald. James Brookman, 5th, also expressed concern over the lengthy number of conditions attached to the plan commission’s recommendation for approval of the zoning change and preliminary development plans. But Ald. Don Smith, 7th, whose ward includes the site, said many of the conditions are “pretty straightforward and not much of a problem.”
Bob Kenny, an attorney for the developer, said only about six conditions of 29 present an issue for the project. They pertain to parking, building orientation and noise attenuation and will be discussed in greater detail at the council’s next meeting, he said.
Gaines is a freelance reporter.
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