Frankfort village officials recently approved plans for 14 new upscale townhomes at the entrance to its downtown area at LaGrange Road and Old Frankfort Way.
Developer Brian Fordon, of Fordon Brothers LLC, which bought the Folkers farm in 2003, said these townhomes will complete the project he and his brother began 15 years ago, when they first constructed 27 homes and 22 townhomes on a portion of that site.
He will now add six buildings, two three-unit and four two-unit townhouses, on three acres to complete the Folker farm development, he said. All will be two stories, with a brick and stone construction, and each unit about 2,600 square feet.
“It’s a beautiful project at what many consider to be the gateway to our downtown,” said Zach Brown, Frankfort’s assistant director of development services.
Fordon said he initially proposed a mixed use development, with commercial space on the first floor with a bank and a restaurant, and residential units on the second and third floors, but with the economic downturn in 2007, that project was no longer viable.
For the past three years, Fordon pursued the townhouse project, initially proposing 17 units, but at the recommendation of the village’s plan commission, it was reduced to 14, Brown said.
“It’s been a labor of love,” Fordon said of sitting on the land for the past 10 years.
“We’re really excited about this. It will be a nice addition to the downtown area,” he said.
The land was rezoned from commercial to residential earlier this year, Brown said, noting that the site would have been challenging for businesses because its access to LaGrange Road would have been limited, forcing customers to use Folkers Drive in the residential area.
“That was a concern,” he said.
The village’s comprehensive plan calls for more residential development in the downtown area to support the businesses and restaurants, Brown said.