St. Charles committee approves First Street Plaza concept plan

The St. Charles Planning and Development Committee on Monday approved spending $160,000 for a concept plan and schematic design for expansion of the First Street Plaza, a unanimous vote that paves the way for the city council to approve the plan.

The committee, made up of the St. Charles City Council aldermen, debated the topic for more than an hour before deciding to push forward with the understanding that more discussion will take place concerning the development of the project. And that the cost and work to fill the site's massive hole will be taken into consideration.

In a lengthy back and forth, the aldermen and City Administrator Mark Koenen talked about the need to have this concept plan in place to determine what will be on that site. Once that's decided, then the best way to fill the hole can be determined.

"This is a really important element," Koenen said. "The concept gives us what we want this to look like, and we're going to be back in front of you so many times you're going to be tired of some folks in the future on this topic. But we've got a good start talking about the hole."

Ward 4 Alderman Lora Vitek and the St. Charles Initiative presented Monday's concept plan for a plaza on the former site of the Manor Restaurant - on First Street just south of Route 64 on the western bank of the Fox River - based on feedback from an August Planning and Development meeting. Included in the plan is a sweeping terrace for community events, a ramping riverwalk connecting to the Main Street Bridge, solar panel canopies and shade trees, and a lighted tower to act as a centerpiece of the plaza.

Extensive fundraising will be needed in a public-private endeavor that's estimated to cost about $4 million. Vitek said the St. Charles Initiative committee has secured a $600,000 donation from Exelon as part of the $2.3 million already raised.

To raise the final $1.7 million for construction, though, Vitek said a concept plan is needed to display to potential donors.

Pending city council approval, she'll have one.

"We have to start somewhere," Vitek said. "You can't fundraise around nothing."