'It'll be a great addition to town': STEM school, subdivision planned for Naperville

Developers plan to build a STEM school and a subdivision on 12 vacant acres at the southwest corner of Diehl Road and Mill Street in Naperville.

In addition to the 76 two-bedroom, three-story townhouses the Prosperita subdivision will bring to the housing inventory on the northwest side of the city, Orion STEM School, a 45,000-square-foot building, will open on the northern 5 acres of the parcel.

As part of the proposal, the land in unincorporated DuPage County will be annexed by Naperville.

On Tuesday, the city council approved annexation and variances regarding rezoning, signage, reduced exterior masonry on the 17 residential buildings and relocation of parkway trees.

Russ Whitaker, a lawyer representing the developers, said the rezoning fits in with the surrounding area that's in a transitional period of redevelopment.

The townhouses will have garages in the rear, creating what Whitaker called a "streetscape" atmosphere outside the front of the buildings. A park is planned for the center of the subdivision.

"We think the townhomes fit within the character of that residential transition that is happening," Whitaker said. "It'll be a great addition to town, particularly with Naperville being sort of a destination for educational opportunities."

Selvei Rajkumar, managing director of KLA Schools of Naperville, is spearheading the creation of the Orion STEM School. Up to 360 students from kindergarten through eighth grade are expected to attend.

While Rajkumar estimated tuition at $28,000 a year, she said scholarships will offset a portion of the cost for many of the students. She said the school has curriculum support from the University of Chicago, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford and Harvard.

"Our goal here at Orion is to combine the STEM education with entrepreneurial spirit," she said.

"We want our students to discover their unique voice, passion and purpose."