Sugar Grove shuns new home development

The Sugar Grove village board expressed concerns Tuesday after hearing from Crown Community Development on a proposed 790-acre mixed use development that calls for the construction of 1,088 single-family units and townhomes on 360 acres within the development area.

The subdivision would be on land that Crown owns on the northwest, northeast and southeast corners of Route 47 and the I-88 overpass.

Marvin Bailey, senior vice president with Crown Community Development, told the board the project would include 138 acres for commercial use, which could include retail, office, research and industrial space.

Bailey told the board he wanted their approval before going before the zoning commission, but he was met with skepticism in view of recent downturns in the housing market.

"Giving up all that land to residential use is short-sighted," village president Sean Michels told Bailey.

"We have a lot of space now to build residences," said village trustee Mary Heineman. "The market is slow now. I feel that with this proposal we'd be condemning ourselves."

Bailey told the board he believed the development could bring jobs and stimulate economic growth, but he added that the success of the plan's commercial development would depend upon completion of a planned interchange between I-88 and Route 47, currently being studied.

"We would work with the village on this project," Bailey said.

The residential phase of the project must be completed first because "rooftops have to come before commercial space," Bailey said, because commercial buyers consider population trends before investing.

Named Glenwood at Sugar Grove, the proposed development also calls for 260 acres of open space, including parks, preserved wetlands and a 5.5 acre sports core, 63 acres of stormwater management areas and 30 acres of road.

Michels asked the board to review the plans within a month. The board also will hear recommendations from staff on the proposal.