Designs of Naperville's 5th Avenue coming this month

Everyone eagerly waiting for an image of what could be in store for 5th Avenue near the Metra station in Naperville should keep the evening free on Aug. 22.

That's when Ryan Companies, the firm approved July 17 to begin drawings after nine months of discussions, plans to unveil the first round of concepts for the redevelopment area composed of 13 city-owned acres.

Officials with Ryan Companies say the first round will include two separate drawings, each with potential options for land use, architecture, public space, parking, infrastructure and pedestrian revisions.

Each concept will come with a preliminary cost projection, but not with an estimate of the number of potential housing units it would provide and not with floor plans for parking structures. These details are set to be included in revisions made in a later phase as the concepts are refined, then finalized, Ryan Companies officials say.

The firm, which is based in Minneapolis and has an office in Naperville, plans to make a formal presentation about the first round of designs during a meeting at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 22 at the Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle St. Anyone unable to attend can view plans online at http://fifthavenuedevelopment.com/ and submit thoughts by email to 5thavedev@ryancompanies.com.

The presentation will be the first of what is expected to be a three-step process toward approval of a final concept to be built on the sites, which include four parking lots, a former public works building, a water tower, an office building and the property of the DuPage Children's Museum.

After each phase of revisions, Ryan Companies says it intends to review designs with the community at large, a 15-member steering committee formed to guide redevelopment and the city council. Final approval would be the responsibility of the council.

Following the Aug. 22 public presentation, the designs are next set to be discussed during a steering committee meeting on Aug. 28.