St. Charles’ Fox Haven Square aims to be entertainment destination for east side
With the grand opening scheduled for this spring, the $22 million Fox Haven Square development in St. Charles is quickly transforming from long-imagined to fully realized.
With restaurants, entertainment, shopping, fitness and even a pickleball complex, the development aims to revitalize the eastern portion of the city seeking to redefine itself since the Charlestowne Mall closed nearly a decade ago.
With a community plaza and events space, the square aims to be the new center of it all.
Developers hope the attraction further anchors St. Charles as an entertainment destination hot spot for family outings, dates nights and casual hangouts.
The 7.5-acre site features around 70,000 square feet of retail space at the corner of East Main Street and North Kirk Road. The site brings to life vacant land in the developing commercial area.
The square boasts four buildings, three on the eastern portion of the property filled with restaurants and commercial. Outside, patrons can enjoy an al fresco dining piazza and a central gathering community plaza.
On the southern part of the property, the fourth building is a two-story barn-inspired pickleball facility, with courts even located on the roof. The building also will host a restaurant.
“There’s no question (Fox Haven Square) is going to continue to draw people to the St. Charles area,” Mayor Clint Hull previously said. “We’ve obviously done a great job in downtown and now having an attraction like that on the east side of town is going to do nothing but great things for the city.”
The development idea launched by Bartlett-based Greco Investment Management LLC, quickly gained city favor as a way to attract a new wave of businesses to that part of town.
Confirmed businesses moving into the square include restaurants Fire + Wine, Rosebud Steakhouse and Swank Coffee & Wine Lounge.
Also planned are a modern taqueria and tequila bar named Taco Mucho, a Smashburger, and Simple EJ’s Kitchen and Tap.
Further filling out the development are OS Salon and commercial real estate group G Ninety Family Office.
The pickleball complex is called Harbor House Paddle & Provisions and includes fitness, food and drinks, live entertainment and the area’s first courts for padel, a racket game combining elements of tennis and squash.
The complex by Parker Hospitality also includes six indoor pickleball courts, duckpin bowling, pingpong and darts. The recreational attraction is adorned with several outdoor patios with bocce courts and lawn games.
The city incentivized Greco Investment Management LLC to develop pedestrian infrastructure throughout the site, extending the walkable footprint in the area.
These include a cross-access to the Charlestowne Mall area and a sidewalk expansion, including along Kirk Road, further broadening the area’s connectivity.
Under the sales tax sharing agreement, the constructed cross-access will be fully reimbursed for around $425,000, with $163,000 paid back for the sidewalk expansion, or about half its cost. The total $588,000 maximum rebate is expected to be paid out in three to four years, according to the city’s economic development staff.
Parking will be available in a 434-space lot on the western side of the property along Kirk Road. Surrounding area businesses also will share the parking lot.