Pheasant Run will 'continue to evolve' after airport dispute
The future of St. Charles' iconic Pheasant Run will be anchored by stores, rather than homes, as the owners of the 250-acre property negotiate how much of the land becomes airport property.
The future of the 53-year-old resort came into question when the DuPage Airport Authority officials filed a condemnation lawsuit to take over the entire resort earlier this year. The lawsuit followed the resort's announcement of plans to convert its golf course into housing. The parties reached a loose agreement in May that will keep all the property that functions as a resort in the current owner's control. The fate of the golf course remains unknown.
Hostmark Hospitality Group manages the resort. CEO Jerome F. Cataldo said the resort and the airport are still negotiating the details of their agreement. Those discussions are at a point where the resort owners feel secure enough to proceed with long-planned renovations.
"The original lawsuit included the entire resort property," Cataldo said. "That, obviously, put into question what would be the future of Pheasant Run. It is now clear that the resort itself won't be part of the settlement. It will continue on in the future. Ownership is again focused on how to improve the resort so that it's a vibrant part of the community of St. Charles."
Saint Charles Resort LLC purchased the resort out of foreclosure in 2014. Cataldo's company came on as managers, committing $5 million to initial upgrades. Those upgrades stalled with the airport lawsuit.
Cataldo said that work will now continue with an eye toward placing shopping on the far northwest corner of the property.
Cataldo said the "older, more obsolete" buildings on that part of the property are "just not viable for the resort going forward." An unknown number of stores called "The Shops at Pheasant Run" will replace those old structures.
Cataldo could not provide details of what type of stores the owners will bring to the site. The shops will serve both the resort guests and the larger St. Charles community.
Chicago-based Jones Lang LaSalle will handle sales of commercial parcels on the site of between three and 20 acres. The plan to build new stores on the resort property will need approval by the city council. Cataldo said there is no timetable to bring those plans for a city review just yet.
Similar plans for the Charlestowne Mall to create new shopping closer to Main Street are just now attracting stores across the road from Pheasant Run.
In the meantime, upgrades to the resort property, including guest rooms, will proceed. Marketing materials describe the renovations as "an eclectic mix of farmhouse tables blending with modern furniture for an up-to-date look."
Lobby areas already have new furniture. All the of the guest rooms in the resort's main tower have new linens, draperies, flooring and wall coverings that reflect "inspiration from the past and sparkle for an upscale elegance."
"The resort is here; it's not going anywhere," Cataldo said. "It's going to continue to evolve into something we can all be proud of."