More senior housing could be coming to Sycamore’s Old Mill Park

SYCAMORE – More senior housing within walking distance of downtown could soon be coming to Sycamore.

Five years after the first phase of the Old Mill Park senior townhomes went through the city of Sycamore’s zoning process in 2016, a new proposal has been brought to city officials to add a second section to the senior housing development. Developer Brian Grainger of Old Mill Park LLC plans to complete a second phase of the subdivision, which would add 84 more townhomes for residents 55 and older.

Grainger appeared before Sycamore’s Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday at the Sycamore City Center to present his plans and a timeline for the build ahead of a future Sycamore City Council vote.

“It would be a number of years before the entire community would be built,” Grainger said. “We always target 12 to 16 [units per year], but very well could be less.”

Grainger’s plans were the subject of a public hearing, as he petitions the city to re-zone the land for residential use. The commission voted unanimously, 10-0, to favorably recommend rezoning the land for the development. The City Council will next consider the topic at a future meeting. If approved to re-zone, the developer would return to the city’s planning commission in early 2022 to finalize a construction plan, documents show.

Grainger also developed the Somerset Farms, another active adult community located south of downtown Sycamore. The Old Mill Park subdivisions would be owner-occupied, documents state, with a home owners’ association.

The location of phase two would take place north of Mt. Hunger Road and north of Old Mill Park subdivision. The property would be adjacent to phase one along Illinois Route 23 and be a continuation of the Old Mill Park subdivision, within walking distance of downtown, according to city documents. Residents would have access to the complex from Route 23 in two places, documents show, on Maplewood Drive and Mt. Hunger Road. Water mains connecting to the properties would be publicly owned.

During the meeting many of the commission members had concerns about how residence would get from north to south along the road.

“You might want to consider making a larger loop for the residents in the future for them to walk, assuming everything works out,” Commissioner Alan Zantout said.

The developer plans to construct 21 four-unit buildings, creating 84 total units, which would mirror the layout of the first phase of Old Mill Park, according to site plans. A few features the homes would have include a botanical garden, a clubhouse and an indoor swimming pool that would be shared among the whole subdivision.

Grainger said he will take the feedback from Monday’s commission meeting to consider for future development plans.

The property under the proposal is 18.65 acres that would include subdivision access, roadways and driveways and an emergency access points to the complex. City officials said the development fits under Sycamore’s Comprehensive Plan, which prioritizes senior housing that includes walkability to other parts of the city, including the downtown district.

“I am very excited for this development,” acting City Manager Maggie Peck said. “This is a very good project for our community.”