Omnia development idea questioned in Naperville

Naperville residents filled city council chambers Tuesday to learn about a large-scale development proposal that would be built near the downtown train station.

Some came armed with questions about cost, ownership, traffic and building height in the plan that includes a performance art center and a parking garage as well as residential and retail units.

Omnia, a nonprofit group, is behind the proposal and has been working on it for several years, sparking a great deal of speculation from residents. Tuesday's three-hour meeting was the first communitywide presentation of the plan.

"Naperville is a place of vision and foresight - yet a Broadway-type venue for performing arts is missing," said Omnia President Bev Patterson Frier. "Omnia solves this deficiency."

The plan calls for a $190 million performance arts center and commuter parking garage. The arts center would include a 2,700-seat performance hall, 950-seat second performance space and 200-seat studio space. Because of the need for a fly tower to move sets, the development would reach a height of 130 feet in some areas.

In addition to the performance center and garage, the proposal calls for residential units - roughly a dozen houses, 45 to 55 townhouses and 500 to 600 mid-rise condos - as well as stores and restaurants.

As part of Omnia's presentation, several well-known community members spoke in support, including Rick Hitchcock and Chuck George, who helped create the Riverwalk; Ken Packer of Packer Engineering; DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom; and Barbara Yokum, founder of the School of Performing Arts.

Yokum said there is a shortage of performance space in Naperville for the school's 25 shows a year.

"It's a problem because we can't perform in our own backyard, so the parents and families that get to take advantage of the fabulous staff we bring in from Chicago to teach and train them, they don't understand why they see all these theaters in the area, but we go to Oswego," she said.

George said he sees parallels between the Omnia proposal and proposals to build the Riverwalk 30 years ago and that people had similar concerns then about costs and their property values.

"I recommend that the mayor and city council put on their visionary glasses again to see what they have now and what you could have 30 years from now," he said.

But Rick Spencer, a resident and vice president for institutional advancement at North Central College, said the Riverwalk was "in the right perspective of what downtown is" and that a 10- to 13-story building would wall off people from downtown.

Residents also asked about funding for the building. The $190 million would come in through a tax increment financing district in addition to grants, sponsorships and private donations.

Developers would pay for their own residential and retail portions of the project.

Omnia board members expect the development to have a $150 million annual economic impact for the city once its complete.

Omnia officials acknowledged some of the land where the performing arts center and garage would be build is owned by the city and said they have not started any negotiations. They are hoping the city will use some of the extra tax revenue the project earns to invest in the garage and performing arts center.

Frier caused a stir among audience members when she called it a "city project."

Marcie Schatz, director of transportation, engineering and development for the city, quickly clarified that is not the case.

Several residents asked who would ultimately own the performing arts center. Omnia members said it would either be owned by a nonprofit group or by the city.

"We all know projects never come in on time or on budget so this could be a very expensive proposition for the city, and I certainly don't want to see another Carillon," resident Charles Rehor said. "We've learned our lesson there."

Frier said Omnia has done "extensive homework" to make sure that doesn't happen.

Residents also bristled when Omnia members said traffic studies found the development would have little impact on traffic in the area. Omnia expects many residents in the development to take the train to work and walk to nearby Naperville amenities and that commuters would be using the area during the day while theatergoers would be there at night.

The project can be viewed at omniaarts.org. The city is still accepting public feedback. Comments can be sent to Rory Fancler at 400 S. Eagle St. Naperville, IL 60540 or fanclerr@naperville.il.us.

Proposal: One resident says he 'doesn't want to see another Carillon"