Des Plaines has plans for two corridors

Des Plaines wants you to do more than use Oakton Street and Elmhurst Road to drive through town.

They actually want you to stop, shop and eat.

In an effort to turn the two busy corridors into more bustling commercial areas, Des Plaines aldermen at Monday's council meeting are prepared to hire a consultant to help draft a plan for the areas.

For the planning of Oakton and Elmhurst, city officials are tapping into a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration, which will cover 80 percent of the $125,000 cost. Des Plaines qualifies for the money since it's affected by airport expansion and will be improving the area around the airport.

Chicago-based Camiros Ltd. will help develop plans for Oakton from River to Elmhurst roads and Elmhurst from Oakton to Dempster Street.

"We decided that it was something we needed to move on," said Michael Conlan, Des Plaines community and economic development director.

While there are no designs yet for the area, there are visions floating around city hall. Mixed-use developments, with housing on the top floors and retail at ground level, could be part of those plans. But don't expect big-box stores, officials say.

Big changes are expected to be in store for the area, including two grade separations for train crossings, said Alderman Laura Murphy, who chairs the community development committee.

Grade separations could be done with bridges or tunnels, but they are estimated to cost $25 million each. There's no word yet on how the city would pay for such projects.

But Murphy said it's necessary if Des Plaines wants to make Oakton more inviting to shoppers and diners.

"I see that there is definitely a need for grade separation," Murphy said. "It's way too costly to have all this business stop at train tracks."

Camiros is expected to take a year to do the study and will meet with city officials up to nine times. Consultants also plan to talk with business owners.

There will be cohesion in this plan, Conlan said.

"As happens in cities, the uses have grown over time -- not like in a new suburb where they plan their subdivision," Conlan said. "Oakton Street has evolved over time: Part of it is commercial, part is residential. To a degree, it's evolved somewhat haphazardly."

While new development will be key to rejuvenating the areas, city officials are not using the "T" word -- tax-increment financing. In a TIF district, increased tax revenues from redevelopment are used to pay for improvements.

"TIF is not on the table at all," Murphy said.

At least one business is happy about the potential redevelopment.

John Liapes, who owns the Black Ram Steakhouse on Oakton, said it would help his business.

"It's overdue. It's probably the most neglected and most trafficked (area) in the city," Liapes said.