Naperville approves condo building north of Centennial Beach, Riverwalk
A prime Naperville lot near Centennial Beach and the Riverwalk is getting a makeover.
The Naperville City Council last week approved the construction of a four-story, six-unit condominium building at the northwest corner of Jackson Avenue and Mill Street. Named Riverwalk Place, it will replace the one-story Lee Mandel and Associates accounting building and parking lot that's occupied the corner for decades.
Council members, following a positive recommendation from the planning and zoning commission and city staff, unanimously voted for the plan that includes variances to rezone the property and decrease the front setback requirement along Jackson Avenue.
The new building, which will feature grade-level parking with 14 spots, will have two homes on each of the upper three floors. While a price point for the units was not provided by officials, the location will be attractive for homebuyers because of the beach and Riverwalk views and the short walk to downtown Naperville.
Councilman Patrick Kelly questioned the height of the structure compared to homes to the north on Jefferson Avenue. Vincent Rosanova, attorney for Mandel and Associates, said the elevation on Jefferson is 16 feet higher than Jackson and will lessen the impact of the four-story structure.
Considering the elevation difference, Rosanova said, the approved building's 47-foot height won't be an issue to northern neighbors. There's also a park district maintenance facility directly to the north, which will create a buffer between the properties.
"Not only do we have that tremendous amount of fall because of the hill there, we have an 82-foot separation," Rosanova said. "Not to mention the fact that we're providing a 10-foot setback along our north property line, so we're approaching almost 100 feet away."
The approved structure, which will be about 11,000 square feet in size, primarily will have a brick exterior with neutral colors and a varying roofline. Each unit will have a private balcony facing Jackson Avenue.