Plans for gated community gets green light from West Dundee

Plans are moving forward for a proposed 260-unit gated apartment community village officials anticipate will trigger development at the south end of West Dundee.

The Springs at Canterfield subdivision is designed to include 13 buildings, each containing 20 rental apartments, as well as a clubhouse and pedestrian courtyards. Continental Properties, a Wisconsin-based real estate company, first introduced the concept earlier this year as one of its several ongoing housing projects throughout the country.

The community is expected to be built on 23.5 acres along Route 31, just north of the River Valley Memorial Garden. West Dundee trustees this week unanimously approved an ordinance giving developers the green light to move forward with preliminary plans.

"We feel this proposed use as a multifamily project will be a great use for the area to really act as a catalyst and begin spurring development in this vacant area," said Elizabeth Adler, a Continental Properties representative.

In a memo to the village board, Community Development Director Tim Scott echoed Adler's sentiment, saying the new households along a largely commercial corridor may help attract and retain nearby businesses.

Scott also pointed to a 2014 study by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, which projected a high demand for multiunit developments to serve seniors and working-age individuals in the area. Though only in its initial phase the proposed subdivision would align with West Dundee's goals to create such housing options, he said.

An identical development proposed for the northwest corner of Boncosky Road and Route 31 was rejected two years ago after the concept was met with opposition from nearby residents. During a public hearing last month, the village's planning and zoning commissioners indicated the new site is "the perfect location for the project," Scott said.

The market-rate units that make up Springs at Canterfield will vary in size and style, with 26 studio, 104-one bedroom, 104 two-bedroom and 26 three-bedroom apartments, according to village documents.

The site is designed to be pedestrian- and pet-friendly, with pathways, pet playgrounds and pet washing stations. A clubhouse will include offices, a 24-hour fitness center, an outdoor pool and a large gathering room.