Developers drop plans to redevelop Charlestowne Mall

A plan to redevelop the largely vacant Charlestowne Mall on St. Charles’ east side has been shelved after several St. Charles alderpersons and plan commissioners questioned whether the proposal was the best plan for the site.

Plans were to raze the majority of the largely vacant mall to make way for 560 apartments and townhouses, a hotel and new restaurants and retail along East Main Street. During a City Council Planning and Development Committee meeting in January, several alderpersons had raised concerns about the number of units being proposed along with the layout of the plan.

“It’s a good plan, but the question is, is this the best use of space?” 2nd Ward Alderperson Ryan Bongard said at the meeting. “In speaking with constituents, they don’t want to see 500 apartments.”

The mall recently was featured in a Toyota commercial.

On March 25, St. Charles Mayor Lora Vitek confirmed the developers had pulled out of the project. The partnership of S.R. Jacobson Development Corp. and Lormax Stern Development Co. previously had entered into a purchase agreement for the former Charlestowne Mall property with current owners The Krausz Companies. In December 2017, Krausz closed the interior shops and enclosed mall space at the center.

Anchors Von Maur and Classic Cinemas Charlestowne 18 remain in the mall. Vitek said the city would like to balance the residential portion of any plan with “more of an entertainment opportunity over there.”

“That’s the overwhelming comment that I have heard through the City Council,” Vitek said. “And I do believe that we can try to accomplish that. We shouldn’t settle. We’ve got a lot going for us. We know there needs to be more people here and we’re going to bring residential, but there needs to be a balance over there, too. The east side is very important to our town, but we do want to see the right fit.”

Vitek is still hopeful that another developer will submit plans to redevelop the property.

“Our plan is to work with the current owner to hopefully bring something that is more in line with the majority of comments from the City Council,” she said. “We’re not giving up. With the success of the cinema, the success of Von Maur and then Starbucks and Cooper’s Hawk and Verizon over there, we know that there is interest and there is potential there. We want to make sure we bring the right development to the city, so we’re going to continue to work hard in helping that owner in whatever way we can.”

Cooper’s Hawk restaurant and a building housing Starbucks and Verizon is located next to the mall. During the meeting in January, 2nd Ward Alderperson Rita Payleitner spoke in favor of the plan. She noted other plans to redevelop the mall had been abandoned.

“I’ve seen and heard so many options attempted, discussed and ultimately not come to fruition,” she said. “Is this a dream come true plan? Maybe not. But this is a good plan. It presents workable options, considering the very realistic challenges the site presents.”

Manny Kianicky, with S.R. Jacobson Development Corp., had voiced concerns that a similar proposal planned nearby could thwart the project.

“We were completely taken by surprise by the Springs project,” Kianicky told plan commissioners in October. “To put that many units in one area at the same time is extremely alarming. It has the potential of basically preventing us from going ahead, to be perfectly honest with you.”

Kianicky was concerned about plans by Wisconsin-based Continental Properties to build an apartment community on 27.5 acres on the north side of Smith Road at Pheasant Trail. Known as the Petkus property, it is part of the Springs at St. Charles project. The property is in Wayne Township, but St. Charles can annex the property under conditions of the boundary agreement between West Chicago and St. Charles.

The St. Charles Plan Commission will have a public hearing at 7 p.m. April 5 on Continental Properties’ plan to build 320 apartments on the land.