An 11-unit housing development could take root at the site of the former Calvary Temple Church property near downtown Naperville, based on a project proposal recently submitted to city officials.
M/I Homes of Chicago is the contract purchaser of the 0.82-acre property, which encompasses four separate parcels: 109 W. Benton Ave., 129 W. Benton Ave., 133 W. Benton Ave., and 5 N. Main St. The proposal, dubbed Benton + Main, could consist of rowhomes on the parcels, with seven being single-family attached units and two duplexes.
Rooftop terraces a key component of the project proposal
The Naperville Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed the assorted details attached to the Benton + Main project at a meeting Wednesday, Oct. 15. In a 7-2 vote, commissioners gave a favorable recommendation to the decision-making city council, which will review and vote on the plans submitted in the near future.
From a technical standpoint, Naperville Community Planner Sara Kopinski indicated a number of exceptions from city code are being sought with the project. Among them: a building height of 46 feet — 35 feet is the maximum allowed height under the code — and smaller front and rear yard setbacks.
“The three-story rowhomes will offer a unique housing product comprised of 100% brick or masonry materials, oversized windows, ornamental detailing and traditional rooflines with rooftop terraces,” Kopinski wrote in her planner’s report.
Russell Whitaker III, a partner with the Naperville-based law firm of Rosanova and Whitaker, served as a project spokesperson at the Oct. 15 meeting. Rosanova and Whitaker is representing M/I Homes as the company seeks the necessary approvals to move forward.
During the Planning and Zoning Commission’s hearing, Whitaker highlighted the rooftop terraces component of the project, which he noted are featured in housing developments in some nearby communities, but not as commonplace in Naperville.
Whitaker also defended the project’s density, asserting it could bring value to Naperville’s overall downtown corridor.
“The reason density is good is it is putting people near goods and services,” Whitaker said. “We want more density downtown because we want rooftops downtown that are supporting commercial establishments. We want people to not have to drive downtown and find parking.”
M/I Homes is behind several other recent housing developments in Naperville, including the Northwoods of Naperville and Everly Trace.
Nearby neighbors weigh in with concerns
If plans proceed, Benton + Main will be situated in what city officials refer to as a “transitional area” between the city’s downtown core and traditional single-family homes.
A number of residents within those single-family homes weighed in on M/I Homes’ plans for the former Calvary site and shared concerns.
Resident Chris Carlsen has lived in the area for 23 years and shared with commissioners some reservations, including the development proposal’s height and the ability to market his property in the future.
“These nine neighbors are all welcoming of an appropriate development,” Carlsen said, referencing his household and his neighbors. “However, we feel like this is very high density, very tall, has a massive lot coverage, and all nine neighbors are opposed to the project, as it stands. Personally, I think the project has a very negative impact on me.”
Richard Lowry, who also lives in close proximity to the site, said he likes the idea of townhomes on the four vacant parcels.
But, he added, “I don’t like this design, and the main reason I don’t like (it) is because of all the exceptions to the planning rules. … I just want nice, well-built houses that don’t put me in shade all over the place and look good from the street and look good to our neighbors in front.”
Fellow neighbor Alice Goodman said she did not believe the character and scale of the project proposal complemented the downtown residential area.
“I do think it’s important to keep it with that same look and feel that we have,” Goodman said. “I would request that you protect the look and livability and traffic flow of our community, and the Naperville that we all love so very much by ensuring this project meets all the zoning requirements that are already in place.”
Commissioners weigh in with feedback on project plans
Commissioner Whitney Robbins, chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission, acknowledged some of the neighbors’ concerns, but also gave her take on the current state of buildings in the immediate area before casting an affirmative vote on the proposal.
“When I first looked at this plan, I struggled,” Robbins said. “I grew up in Naperville. I remember the little homes, all down there, and some of them are still down there, and they are your homes, and I have massive compassion for that. I also look at the AT&T building; I look at the building at Washington and Benton. I look at all of what’s around it, and this is transitional use.”
In her first meeting on the panel, commissioner Allison Longenbaugh said she also was sympathetic to the residents’ concerns, noting, “You’re basically an island in this sea of buildings that have all of these different heights, and they’re all pretty tall.”
“Overall, I was super sad when I saw that the church was torn down,” Longenbaugh, a former member of the city council, added as she ultimately voted favorably. “I thought it was a cool building. It would have been a neat brewpub or single-family home.”
Commissioner Mark Wright described the property as “a very unique corner” within Naperville and also shared his support.
“I just think that this kind of design makes a lot of sense for the street, and what the future of this street is going to look like,” Wright said.
Image courtesy: M/I Homes of Chicago, BSB Design
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