St. Charles looks to revitalize former mall site

For years, St. Charles city leaders and residents have been eager to see property on the northeast corner of Route 38 and Randall Road, where the St. Charles Mall once stood, put to better use.

On Tuesday, they were given a first look at ambitious plans that could turn the vacant land into a vital area of the community.

Geneva-based Shodeen Managements presented their plans for a mixed-use development, which would offer a pedestrian-friendly combination of retail, residential, office and restaurant space to the St. Charles Plan Commission.

"One of our goals is to create places that are comfortable and inviting so people will want to return," said Burrell Saunders of Virginia Beach, Va.-based architects CMSS Architecture, who has partnered with Shodeen on this project.

The goal for the development, called St. Charles Towne Center, is to draw in higher-end retail and restaurant establishments that are not currently nearby, and capitalize on the existing Geneva Commons shopping center to make the area a major retail and restaurant destination.

"We feel that over time that developing retail, we will create a smaller Oak Brook Center split between Geneva Commons and this development," explained John Millar, executive vice president of Davaris Real Estate.

Currently, Shodeen has proposed clusters of buildings up to five stories tall, with retail, and restaurants on the street level, and residential or office space on the upper floors.

In addition, current plans call for an entertainment center, with an outdoor ice skating rink in the winter, and areas of open space.

Several commissioners expressed several concerns with the concept plan, including the amount of open space, the walkability of the development during the winter months, and the possibility of the area becoming segregated from St. Charles instead of blending in with the community.

"We're revitalizing in our downtown. We're reinvesting in our municipal identity," said Vice Chairman Paul Lencioni. "I want to see elements that this is going to be a well integrated part of St. Charles."

Shodeen representatives stated that they plan to take many steps to ensure that this does happen.

"The goal is to create a place that the surrounding areas embrace," said Saunders.

The 300,000 square-foot St. Charles Mall was demolished in 2003, and the property has remained vacant ever since.

Currently Shodeen is hoping to begin construction on the property in the fall of 2008. However, the project is expected to undergo revisions in a months-long city review process.