Schaumburg revists plans for southwest side
Having begun plans for a new entertainment district north of the Schaumburg convention center, village officials are now revisiting plans for the southwest corner of town where Schaumburg Boomers Stadium, the Schaumburg Regional Airport and the Schaumburg Metra station lie.
These plans aren't expected to be as transformative as those for the proposed entertainment district near Algonquin and Meacham roads, but they could identify a preferred use for the 58 vacant acres the village owns at the corner of Irving Park and Rodenburg roads.
The new endeavor aims to update the 21-year-old concept plan for the 2-square-mile area south of Wise Road on both sides of Irving Park Road and bisected by the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway.
An informational workshop Thursday asked members of the plan commission, zoning board and Olde Schaumburg Centre Commission to prioritize a list of goals for the area. These included economic development, appearance guidelines, land-use compatibility and landscape enhancements.
Officials don't expect Wise Road to be turned into as strong a commercial corridor as Higgins, Golf and Roselle roads are elsewhere in the village. But Plan Commissioner Pat Riley pointed out that this area of the village could become a lot more important if the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway is extended in both direction as promised.
One of the major elements of this area is the Spectrum Industrial Park, first developed during the 1950s and '60s. While no major changes of its use are envisioned, it was suggested that there could be higher design guidelines, such as screening outside storage or governing the placement of garage bay doors.
But one of the biggest questions is what to do with the land the village now owns at Irving Park and Rodenburg roads. The 1991 version of the plan called for single-family homes on the site.
“We know our elected officials don't want to see single-family residential there,” Senior Planner Tom Farace told commissioners Thursday.
He said a lot depends on how much of the site is buildable, due to soil conditions.
A finished plan is hoped to be shown at a public hearing by next March, possibly for village board approval in April.