Restaurant, offices proposed along Naperville Riverwalk
Naperville may be getting a new restaurant and improvements to the Riverwalk along with it.
A developer has proposed creating Naperville Riverfront Plaza along Washington Street just south of Chicago Avenue, replacing a long-vacant building along the DuPage River.
The three-story, 24,600-square-foot development would house offices on the second and third floors, and the developer is in talks with Adobo Grill to occupy the first floor.
"There's been a lot of time spent to figure out the best way to use the parcel to benefit downtown," said Frederick Roth, attorney for the developer, Lakeshore Development Group, Inc. "One real jewel in downtown that is probably underutilized is probably Fredenhagen Park across from this property, and we think viewing and potential usage of the park will increase by the restaurant at our location because people will become much more familiar with that part of the Riverwalk."
The land for the development sits just north of Burger King on the east side of Washington Street. It was sought after by the city in 1999, a pursuit that ended several years later after an unsuccessful condemnation lawsuit. Lakeshore Development Group purchased the land in 2006.
Roth said the plan is to demolish the vacant building on the site. The new three-story building would be "notched" like layers on a cake so that it would be more aesthetically pleasing than a simple box shape. Its design also is planned so that it would complement the design of nearby Fredenhagen Park.
Adobo Grill, an upscale Mexican restaurant, has not yet signed a lease but is a possible tenant for the first floor. The restaurant would make use of its river views and include an outdoor terrace.
City staff have said they have worked with the developer on the building design and landscape. However, the main source of contention is how much money the developer will contribute to making improvements along the adjacent portion of the Riverwalk, which currently has a gap between Washington Street and the pedestrian bridge near Burger King.
Riverwalk Commission Chairman Rick Hitchcock recently appeared before the city council and said he feels it is important to have a barrier-free walkway and that it needs to be done in coordination with the development on the site.
"We've got a very narrow space we can build this in, and we've got one shot to get it right because once this building goes in we'll never get this built," Hitchcock said.
The city estimates that construction costs for the Riverwalk would be about $700,000 to $950,000. Lakeshore Development Group has offered $100,000 toward these improvements. However, city staff wants it to pay 44 percent of the total cost, which would mean about $308,000 to $418,000.
Staff said 44 percent is what the Water Street development will contribute to Riverwalk improvements. However, Roth says Riverfront Plaza would be much smaller and does not include funding from a tax increment finance district. He wants more information to make an accurate comparison between the two.
Councilman were split on the issue during last week's meeting. Doug Krause said it isn't fair to the developer to have to pay 44 percent. But Grant Wehrli called $100,000 a "paltry offering to one of the finest jewels in Naperville."
The council tabled the proposal until its Nov. 18 meeting.