Can District 200 wait to sell former Hubble school site?

Facing the likelihood that it could be years before most developers can even consider the idea of redeveloping the former Hubble Middle School site, Wheaton officials say the owner of the downtown property has a decision to make.

They say Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 must decide how long it's willing to wait to sell the roughly 22-acre parcel at Naperville and Roosevelt roads.

On Tuesday, school board President Andy Johnson said it's a discussion that will happen "in the near future."

"We have not set any time line for disposition of the property," Johnson wrote in an e-mail. "As one member, the sooner the better, but the real estate market must be considered during the process."

To date, the only official action the school board has taken is to say that it wishes to sell the property "in a manner that will best benefit the school district and the community," according to Johnson.

Consultants Wheaton hired to create a redevelopment plan for the parcel said the only option that could happen right away would be some type of big box retail, possibly a Costco.

By comparison, it could take years for other redevelopment options for the property to materialize, including a grocery store and movie theater, or some other mixed-use development.

For example, a townhouse and condominium development would have many positives when it comes to aesthetics, synergy with downtown and compatibility with the neighborhood.

But Stephen Friedman of S.B. Friedman and Co. predicts it's going to be one to two years before developers even want to talk about doing a residential project with a mixture of other uses.

In the meantime, neighbors already are hoping to convince city officials to reject any thought of having a big box retailer on the property.

"Aesthetically, it's just a terrible, terrible idea," said Tom Dacy, who lives across the street along Naperville Road. "We've been here for almost 10 years, and we know most of our neighbors. Nobody likes the idea of a big box going in there. It just doesn't make sense."

Johnson said his personal preference would be for the property to be transformed into a "high quality multiuse development" that would provide long-term benefits for the district and city "while not detracting from the character of the neighborhood."

Despite the consultant saying high-end retail is unlikely for the site, Mayor Mike Gresk said he still hopes that could change if development is postponed for a few years.

"We still need a commercial piece of property there that's going to bring in real estate tax and sales tax to the city," Gresk said.

But Friedman said there's too much existing competition for high-end retail in Wheaton, including the Town Square and Danada Square shopping centers.