St. Charles aldermen give green light to Pheasant Run Mega Center redevelopment plans

St. Charles aldermen have given the green light to McGrath Honda of St. Charles’ plans for the former Pheasant Run Mega Center.

At the St. Charles City Council meeting on Feb. 16, aldermen unanimously approved an ordinance granting approval a special use for a planned unit development. They also approved preliminary plans for McGrath Business Center.

The St. Charles City Council last year approved a $5.2 million incentive so McGrath Honda of St. Charles can expand and relocate to the site. Pheasant Run Resort closed its doors last March following a failed attempt to auction off the resort.

It had first opened in February 1963 and was annexed by the city in 1965. The final bid to purchase the resort was $6 million, which did not meet the minimum selling price established by the seller. The auction did not include the sale of the Mega Center or a 18-hole golf course.

Gary McGrath, the president and owner of McGrath Honda of St. Charles, currently located at 1411 E. Main St., plans to turn the western portion of the 12-acre site into a 50,000-plus square foot dealership and service facility that will use 500 of the 800 available parking spaces.

McGrath Honda also has a contract to purchase approximately eight acres just east of the site from the DuPage Airport Authority. Plans call for three auto dealerships and/or other commercial uses to be developed on the property.

Immediately south of the land is the remainder of what was the Pheasant Run golf course, which was purchased a few years ago by the DuPage Airport Authority through eminent domain.

“We think it will be an industrial development,” Peter Bazos, attorney for McGrath, previously told aldermen. “I think you can expect that someone will be approaching you fairly quickly about subdividing and developing the site.”

To accommodate his customers who are dog owners, two dog parks are included in the project.

“More of our customers are bringing in their pets,” McGrath has said.