Naperville council likes plan for Ogden Avenue corridor

The Naperville City Council gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a long-range plan to improve the access and aesthetics of Ogden Avenue.

After a year and a half of studying the Ogden Avenue corridor between Washington Street and Naper Boulevard, the council skipped any further discussion of the initiative and voted 8-0 to move forward with the project.

"In the long run, hopefully, we'll be able to get some changes along that section of Ogden Avenue that will improve the whole business situation and business climate for all the merchants up and down that stretch to attract people to their businesses," Councilman Richard Furstenau said after the meeting.

The corridor includes nearly 300 service, restaurant, retail and office uses with roughly 30,000 vehicles traveling the road each day.

However, the area is aging and congested, and city officials say they hope to guide its future redevelopment.

"It's an older stretch of commercial property within the city, and as we've seen Route 59 develop in recent years, it's important to refocus on existing commercial areas so they look the best they can and so they're fully occupied, thriving commercial areas," said Allison Laff, planning team leader.

The city's plan, which will be implemented over the next 20 years, includes signage upgrades, an additional traffic signal, landscaped medians, decorative lighting, cross access between properties and revised zoning to promote a mix of businesses.

As part of the initiative, the city also is working out the details of a plan to give business owners incentives for facade, signage and landscape improvements. Reimbursement grants likely would be available beginning in 2009.

Laff said in addition to improving the area for businesses, the project also will help give Naperville's section of Ogden Avenue its own character, and she is looking forward to moving ahead with the plans.

"I think the city council action tonight is a big show of support for the corridor, a big show of support for the work done by all the parties involved to date," she said. "And I think it's exciting to sort of have the official kick-off even though we've started work already … sort of endorsing that plan and moving forward."

The entire plan is available at www.naperville.il.us/ogdenstudy.aspx.