St. Charles’ First Street redevelopment changes directions

St. Charles city staff and elected officials have placed their faith in rental housing being in higher demand than single-family homes or office space in recent development proposals pitched by developers, so it was no surprise they also endorsed a change in vision for perhaps the city’s most important development project Monday night.

Aldermen voted — without comment — in favor of a plan to change the original schedule and format for the third phase of the First Street redevelopment project for downtown. The vote gives the developers, Inland Realty, more time to work out the details of replacing what was supposed to be 62 condos in a five-story building with 125 rental units. Retail space is still planned for the building’s first floor.

The new vision switches out another planned building in favor of increasing the project’s green space. The third phase also includes another parking garage with more than 200 spaces for the downtown. Developers are looking to begin construction in May, but aldermen will see a more detailed presentation with more visuals before actual work begins.

In other action, aldermen also approved a new day care center. The facility, which will be operated by Children of America, received some public criticism at previous meetings from other local day care operations for what they described as questionable business practices at other Children of America locations.

Aldermen also voted to approve construction plans for the completion of sidewalks, storm sewers and streets in the Remington Glen subdivision, even though of the work already is complete. The subdivision fell into foreclosure earlier this year, leaving large portions of the development unfinished. City staff moved in on collection of a letter of credit for the project to get most of the money needed to complete the construction of infrastructure for the more than 100 units of the subdivision.