St. Charles to acquire former Manor Restaurant site, expand First Street plaza

St. Charles plans to purchase a visually prominent property at the entrance of the First Street corridor, allowing for the expansion of the city's new public plaza along the Fox River.

The city council on Monday unanimously approved an agreement to acquire the long-vacant land at 1 W. Main St. for $1 million.

City leaders have been engaged in discussions with property owners for years over opportunities to redevelop the southeast corner of First and Main streets, City Administrator Mark Koenen said. The nearly 0.1-acre parcel is the former site of the Manor Restaurant, which closed in the mid-2000s and was later razed.

Directly south of the empty lot, the city has been working to create a brick-paved "east plaza" and a two-level riverwalk as part of its ongoing First Street redevelopment project.

Construction on those public improvements is "generally in final form," Koenen said.

Officials have been eyeing 1 W. Main St. in hopes of pursuing a second phase of the plaza project, which would extend the community space north toward Main Street.

"This is the last piece of First Street property to be developed along the Fox River," Koenen said. "I believe this will create a true gateway to our First Street project."

The city's interest in the site dates back nearly two decades, when downtown redevelopment plans were still in early discussion stages, Koenen said.

After the Manor moved out of town, he said, the property was sold to a potential developer whose proposal to construct a new multistory building never came to fruition, largely because of the economic downturn.

As the First Street project moved forward, residents routinely expressed a desire to see more open space along the Fox River, Koenen said. Purchasing the former restaurant site gives the city an opportunity to fulfill their wishes.

"It was a long time coming, and I'm pleased that we finally were able to come to a conclusion," Alderman Maureen Lewis said. "This green space sitting on this prime corner of the City of St. Charles will be appreciated by residents for years to come."

Chicago-based Exelon Corp. has contributed $600,000 to help cover plaza expansion costs through the St. Charles Initiative, a fund managed by the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley, Koenen said.

Established by the city last year, the alternative financing mechanism seeks donations and endowments from the community to support city programs and projects, including the First Street Plaza.

"I'd like to publicly give (Exelon) thanks for their partnership," Alderman Lora Vitek said.

"This is a huge move for us, and it really will enhance what we call the center ... of our downtown."

Parallel to an existing plaza on the west side of First Street, the new "east plaza" contains landscaping, a staging area for performances, space for events and various public art opportunities.

Curved stairs with seat walls lead from the plaza to an extended riverwalk, a portion of which was constructed in 2018.

The plaza expansion is expected to have similar characteristics to "blend in with what is there today," Koenen said.

Once the city closes on the property, he says, the city would ideally move forward with design plans right away and begin construction by this fall.