Residents moving into six-story Uptown 500 complex in Wheeling
As construction of the high-profile Uptown 500 residential and commercial development in Wheeling nears completion, tenants are moving into the enormous complex.
The six-story, $90 million structure stands at the northwest corner of Dundee Road and Northgate Parkway. It includes 321 apartments and 10,500 square feet of commercial space targeted for restaurants.
Construction of the complex began in 2018.
All the residential units have been completed and are undergoing occupancy inspections, Village Manager Jon Sfondilis said.
About 50 units now are occupied, said Brittany Wendy, the assistant property manager there.
Studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments are available. They feature stainless steel appliances, in-unit washing machines and clothes dryers, high-speed internet access, and private patios or balconies.
Shared amenities for residents include an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness center, a game room and gathering spaces.
Rent options for studio apartments start at $1,399 per month, Wendt said. One-bedroom units start at $1,575 per month, and two-bedroom units start at $2,099 per month.
As for the commercial space, the developers and village officials have been talking with several restaurateurs, but no deals have been finalized, Sfondilis said.
The project is a key element of the transit-oriented, downtown district village officials have been trying to create.
The Wheeling Town Center residential and retail complex is across Dundee Road from Uptown 500, and the Northgate Crossing apartment and townhouse development is to the north.
Wheeling's Metra station is nearby, too, as is the Wheeling Park District's Community Recreation Center.
Wheeling officials have pledged to give the developer, DAC Developments, $6.5 million from the town's tax-increment financing fund - property tax money above a certain level set aside for redevelopment rather than local governments. Construction must be completed before the money is delivered, Sfondilis said.
The village also waived a customary water detention fee for new developments. That saves the developer more than $427,000.
Coinciding with the project's completion, additional right-hand turn lanes are being built on southbound Northgate Parkway at Dundee Road. The village, Uptown 500's developer and the developer of the Wheeling Town Center are sharing the cost.