Old Mill Park developer wants Sycamore to reconsider failed request

SYCAMORE – After the Sycamore City Council said no to his request for more condo units at his Sycamore housing development, the Old Mill Park property developer has asked the city to reconsider his proposal.

Brian Grainger, a DeKalb County-based housing developer, previously was awarded permission from the city to build and sell multi-bedroom units in the second phase of development at Old Mill Park, a 55-and-older community near the corner of Main Street and Mount Hunger Road in Sycamore.

He has since unsuccessfully sought the city’s approval to change his design for the second phase to include single-bedroom units.

On Aug. 19, the City Council voted 2-6 against his request. He’s since sent a letter asking it to reconsider. City documents show he sent the letter Aug. 27.

“I just wanted to have an opportunity to make sure that all the information ... was clear. I feel like there was some misinformation at the last meeting, and I just want to have an opportunity to clarify some of the information,” Grainger said Friday when asked why he’s requesting that the city reconsider his development changes.

After building more than 700 homes in DeKalb County over the past 29 years, Grainger said he’s trying to get ahead of what he called ever-changing demographics, trends and needs of the housing market. He also said he wants to continue to be able to develop and sell homes that cost the area’s median sale price.

“With the changes that we’re making, it allows us to sell homes that would be comparable to the median sale price in Sycamore,” he said. “So somebody living in Sycamore would have the opportunity to sell their home, their existing home, and retire there in Sycamore in Old Mill Park, take advantage of the boutique lifestyle community and stay in Sycamore, as opposed to retire outside of Sycamore. The trend in the United States now, nationally, is for a little bit smaller footprint, so that’s really what we have prospective clients asking for.”

While Grainger’s letter is listed as a part of the agenda packet for Tuesday’s Sycamore City Council meeting, the City Council does not have any action item listed specifically to reconsider Grainger’s request.

“We’re hopeful that the council would listen to the information and reconsider the opportunity to be able to build homes at a price that would be accessible to more people living in Sycamore,” Grainger said.