300 apartments, plus perhaps another hotel, pitched for Huntley

The owner of the Hampton Inn in Huntley wants to build about 300 apartments, restaurants and maybe a second hotel not far from the Hampton Inn.

Village board members recently heard initial plans from Henry Patel, who owns the Hampton Inn at 13000 Route 47 and another roughly 29 acres of land near Route 47 and Powers Road.

The proposed apartment complex would include 12 total buildings on about 21 acres, with a variety of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. The complex would feature amenities such as a pool, a dog park and walking paths.

"We're definitely lacking housing," Trustee JR Westberg said. "It should be a really good thing for us."

Eight of the 12 apartment buildings would be two stories tall, and four would be three stories tall. The taller buildings would be on the south end of the site, closer to the Hampton Inn.

The two-story apartment buildings would have 22 apartments each, and the three-story buildings would have 32 apartments each, according to the plans.

Huntley Trustee Ronda Goldman was critical of the developer's plans for the apartment complex, especially on how to secure the dog park and pool.

"You're going to have to be very careful with that pool," Goldman said. "I hope you hire a lifeguard."

Building the Hampton Inn was not smooth sailing. The Huntley Village Board granted two extensions, and the hotel opened almost a year behind schedule. Patel cited supply chain issues, among other challenges, for the delay.

For the development, developers want to build in stages, with apartments closer to Powers Road going up first.

Construction on the hotel could start in three to five years, according to village documents. The commercial structures would be built when they are 60% preleased.

"I think what you need to do is wait and see how our economy is doing down the pipe," Goldman said.

The second hotel would be near the Hampton Inn, which Goldman said she thought was odd.

"It's interesting that you want to compete against your own hotel," Goldman said. "I find that very unusual."

In a follow-up interview on Monday, Patel declined to comment on the proposed hotel's location, saying he was focused on building the apartment complex and restaurants.

The Aug. 24 presentation for the village board was a "courtesy review," where the developer could receive feedback on the plans.

Village President Timothy Hoeft stressed the board would not be voting on the development during the courtesy review.

"We're not taking a vote on it, but I think you're headed in the right direction," Hoeft said.

The next steps for the developer include making preliminary construction, engineering and other plans for the planning commission and village of Huntley staff to review, Huntley Village Manager David Johnson said.

Patel told the village board that he was hoping to have a groundbreaking on the project early next year.

On Monday, he said he hopes to attract younger residents to Huntley with the apartment complex. "We want to bring in a new generation," Patel said.