Developer plans to build more than 100 townhouses near Charlestowne Mall in St. Charles

A developer wants to build a 164-unit residential development near Charlestowne Mall in St. Charles.

Aldermen at Monday’s St. Charles City Council Planning and Development Committee meeting reviewed plans for the Charlestowne Lakes development. Developer D.R. Horton plans to build 102 townhouses and 62 duplexes on 28.5 acres located northeast of Charlestowne Mall and south of Foxfield Road, known as the Oliver-Hoffman property. Ten acres would be for open space, wetland and detention.

The project calls for the extension of King Edward Avenue through the site that would connect Foxfield Drive to Smith Road. Plans also include a sidewalk network within the site, with pedestrian connection to the mall property.

Another developer last fall presented plans to build a 129-unit residential development comprised of single-family homes and townhomes, but decided not to move ahead with the project. Patrick Cook of D.R. Horton compared the project to a development underway in Schaumburg.

“One of our most successful current projects is the redevelopment of the Motorola campus in Schaumburg,” Cook told aldermen. “Certainly as time allows, I encourage you all to visit that community, as the product we are building there is totally similar to what we are proposing for Charlestowne Lakes.”

The property was first annexed into the city in 1991. Second Ward Alderman Rita Payleitner asked Cook if the St. Charles Park District was interested in any of the green space and turning it into a playground.

“That’s a lot of space where there isn’t any play area per se,” she said.

In response, Cook said D.R. Horton hasn’t had any discussions yet with the St. Charles Park District.

“There is a larger park to the north I believe, and generally this size of development is not totally open to a large park area,” he said. “The green space tends to be more of the desired feature.”

Payleitner liked the plans.

“I think it’s a great plan,” she said. “I appreciate all the tweaks you did after talking to the Plan Commission.”

Second Ward Alderman Ryan Bongard asked about the traffic impact of the proposed development. Cook said a traffic study is being conducted right now that will detail the impact of the development on the area and the surrounding streets.

First Ward Alderman Ron Silkaitis said he appreciated that the developer plans to install sidewalks throughout the development.

“I very much encourage sidewalks off of buildings,” he said.

The development is expected to add about 35 elementary school students, nine middle school students and nine high school students to St. Charles School District 303. The developer would be required to pay about $460,000 to the school district as part of the city’s land/cash ordinance, in addition to annual real estate tax revenues.