2022 shaping up as a banner year for residential, business development in Yorkville

YORKVILLE – New homes, new businesses and big public infrastructure projects are coming together to make this a busy development year in Yorkville.

City Administrator Bart Olson outlined what promises to be a banner year for development during a Yorkville Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon April 12 at Kennedy Pointe restaurant.

In his State of the City address, Olson began by telling the local business leaders about the strong residential growth that continues to bring new residents – and customers – to Yorkville.

There were 409 new housing starts in 2021, a 29% increase over 2020 and the biggest year for new starts since 2007.

The breakdown for 2021 included 249 single-family homes and 160 duplex and townhouse units.

So far, building permits for about 50 new homes have been issued this year.

The two biggest residential developments include Grande Reserve, where there were 195 new starts in 2021, and Raintree Village, where construction began on 142 homes.

Meanwhile, a residential development that was shelved during the Great Recession has a new developer and construction is expected to get underway this year.

The former Kendall Wood Estates project, now renamed Timber Ridge, will be an 80-home development on East Van Emmon Road, Olson said.

Turning to the downtown, Olson said the city is awaiting approval of a $3 million grant application for a redevelopment project designed to make the downtown area a shopping and dining destination.

The city also is working with a developer for the redevelopment of the building at 101 S. Bridge St. as a mixed-use project, including the Foxes Den Meadery and the Iconic Coffee Shop.

New dining opportunities are on the way, Olson said.

The former Butcher Block 360 restaurant at 227 Heustis St. will become Dakota’s under entrepreneur Yonas Hagos, owner of the Silver Fox and other Yorkville dining spots.

A Plainfield restaurant group has purchased the former Millhurst Ale House building at the southeast corner of Route 47 and Kennedy Road and plans interior renovations for the new restaurant.

And, Chipotle is planning to build a new restaurant on the site of the former Fifth Third Bank on Route 34.

Olson also pointed to the recently opened Kendall Meat Company in the Kendall Marketplace shopping center.

Two new automotive businesses are on the way, Olson said.

Site work already has begun for Belle Tire at the northeast corner of Route 47 and East Countryside Parkway, immediately south of the Culver’s restaurant.

Plans also are in the works for a new BP station at the northeast corner of Routes 71 and 47.

Meanwhile, construction of the Eldamain Road bridge over the Fox River, on target for completion this year, already is generating development.

The city is negotiating for the development of a greenhouse lettuce farm at Eldamain and Corneils roads.

The project would include the extension of a sanitary sewer line that would serve future industrial users in the area.

“We’re seeing real interest in the Eldamain Road corridor,” Olson said.

Of course, the city’s big public infrastructure project this year is the new city hall and police station at 651 Prairie Point Drive.

Renovations on the former office building are underway and the city expects to occupy its new home before the end of the year.

Meanwhile, the city is making plans for development of a new public works garage for the street, water and parks departments.

At the same time, the city is working to on plans in conjunction with Oswego and Montgomery for a major infrastructure project to supply the communities with water from Lake Michigan by 2030.

In addition to the Eldamain Road bridge, Olson highlighted transportation projects near and far.

These include work on expansion of Route 71 between Yorkville and Oswego, as well as plans to widen Route 47.

The Route 47 projects include expansion between Route 71 and Caton Farm Road, between Galena and Kennedy roads, and between Galena Road and Cross Street in Sugar Grove.

Finally, Olson said the city continues to investigate the possibility of bringing METRA commuter rail service to Yorkville.