Give Public Money To Elmhurst Project Developer: Residents

Elmhurst IL

22 July, 2021

8:25 AM

Description

ELMHURST, IL — Residents across from a proposed six-story housing complex in downtown Elmhurst say they do not oppose a nearby apartment building, but they want the city to follow its downtown plan. In a letter this week, the residents said following the plan may not make economic sense for the developer, Minneapolis-based Ryan Companies. So the city should consider giving money from the downtown tax district to help the developer make the 196-unit project a reality. The six residents own the townhomes on the east side of Haven Road. The yet-to-be-approved building is planned for two acres at the northwest corner of Haven Road and First Street. The residents, who are represented by attorney Scott Day, said several downtown plans over the last three decades have called for a "soft transition" in the outer areas of downtown. For instance, any structure in the outer areas cannot exceed four stories. The regulations also ban buildings taller than 48 feet for the first 100 feet away from the street when the development is across from properties like townhomes. The residents said the developer's plan would violate setbacks, especially with a "sterile" 20-foot wall of steel and stone 10 feet away from the street. At the same time, they said they understood Ryan Companies was entitled to make a reasonable return on its investment. "The project must make economic sense in order to motivate them to undertake the project," the letter said. "If the design elements we ask the City to require defeat the economic viability of the project, the developers will likely not provide the economic development that might otherwise benefit our downtown. Simply put, we fully understand the need to make money in order for the project to work." This means that public money may be needed to motivate the developer to create a design that meets zoning codes and the 2016 downtown plan, the resident said. Such money is available in the city's downtown tax increment financing district. The residents said they support using such money to create a code-compliant project. "We oppose the project as currently proposed," the residents said. "That said, we do not oppose the concept of a well-designed large-scale apartment complex at this location." All six residents are members of the Elmhurst Townes Townhomes Homeowners Association, whose president is Kent Sands. Toby Veit, Ryan Companies' vice president of real estate development, declined to respond to the residents' letter. "I wish we could comment on that; however, we'd be more comfortable discussing the development in greater detail once the (planned unit development) filing becomes public and once we have had sufficient time to review with staff," he said in an email. As of the last city update, Ryan Companies had not submitted a formal application for the project. City officials say "transit-oriented" downtown housing, which is intended for train commuters, helps Elmhurst. It creates a new base of customers for downtown shops in a time when online shopping is becoming increasingly popular, they say.