advertisement

Bloomingdale mayor: Residents will be heard on Indian Lakes

Mayor Franco Coladipietro says Bloomingdale officials will solicit "significant input" from residents before deciding anything about a proposed redevelopment of roughly 190 acres of open space at Indian Lakes Resort.

"This is one of those situations where a true community decision has to be made," Coladipietro said.

First ILR LLC, which owns the 223-acre Indian Lakes property along Schick Road, last month announced plans to transform the site's former golf course into a neighborhood with hundreds of houses for empty-nesters.

The 27-hole golf course and a 36,000-square-foot conference center were closed late last year as part of an effort to save the property's hotel. Indian Lakes officials said the golf course was losing nearly $1 million a year.

A formal plan for redevelopment of the golf course land has not yet been submitted to the village.

Still, Indian Lakes representatives already have started talking to neighbors about the proposed neighborhood for residents 55 and older. The plan for "Four Seasons at Indian Lakes" calls for 536 ranch-style houses and a centrally located clubhouse.

Officials say the proposed redevelopment is expected to create more than $225 million in new property value and generate about $4.6 million in new annual tax revenue for school districts and other local governments.

But for the project to happen, the golf course land must be rezoned for residential development.

Coladipietro, meanwhile, said there's community sentiment to keep the property as open space.

"The golf course closing is difficult for us," he said. "Indian Lakes has been part of the fabric of the community for a very long time. The idea of losing the golf course as open space is a difficult concept."

Coladipietro said the village's goal is to ensure any redevelopment "is consistent and uniform with the surrounding residential properties" and maintains the site's open-space nature.

"Ultimately, we want to make a decision that is best for our community," he said.

Making that decision will require more information than what's available now, Coladipietro said.

A website with details about the plan has been created at newindianlakes.com. However, the mayor says the website doesn't address questions about traffic and stormwater drainage.

"Stormwater and traffic are two of a number of significant issues we're going to have to review," Coladipietro said. "We don't have any of that information."

Dramatic changes coming to Bloomingdale resort

Indian Lakes getting new hotel; houses planned

Bloomingdale Mayor Franco Coladipietro says the village won't make decisions about any redevelopment at Indian Lakes Resort without getting significant input from residents.
Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.