After 3rd attempt, Sycamore condo plans renew city interest

SYCAMORE – After being denied twice in two months by the Sycamore City Council, the developer of a 55-and-older living community in Sycamore received an initial green light this week over amended, lower density plans for new condominiums.

The approval came from the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission. The City Council also needs to OK the housing proposal before plans can move forward, however.

The housing plans that received nods weren’t the same ones that developer Brian Grainger first wanted to build in Sycamore. Grainger attempted in August and September without success to get his proposal approved to build higher density condos to his Old Mill Park subdivision, saying that residents wanted single-unit more condos than what he had initially planned.

After that was rejected twice, Grainger returned this week with an amended proposition: 110 residential units, including some single-bedroom units, with a density of 5.91 units per acre, according to city documents. The new single units would start at $280,000, he said.

“The main reason for the produce change is because we have, and continue to experience a lot of inflationary costs in the building industry,” Grainger said. “Homes will be more expensive on the other side of the road.”

“It’s not one size fits all, it’s more like different strokes for different folks. Independent minded 55-plus seniors are on the rise, we are living long and have more active lives. Grainger is an experienced builder, has vested his time to what the majority of people 55-plus are looking for.”

—  Bonnie Nowinski

Plans for the second phase of the residential development still have it sit across from the first phase, on the north side of Mount Hunger Road, but it would no longer be the previously requested high density, 6-9 units per acre, designation.

Grainger previously received city approval for a 21-building, 84-unit development of multi-bedroom residences but has since sought to add single-bedroom units to the development.

He said he was committed to developing the second phase of Old Mill Park but has found he’s needed to make adjustments to his original plans because of macroeconomic factors.

Grainger has previously said the single-bedroom condos he wants to add likely would have a starting price at between $250,000 and $300,000. He did not comment on how much single-bedroom condos would cost under the revised plans, however.

More than a dozen attended the planning and zoning meeting Monday night. Only one person aside from Grainger spoke to the board about the Old Mill Park development proposal.

Bonnie Nowinski, of Sycamore, said she supports Grainger’s efforts and urged the commission to recommend Sycamore City Council approve his proposal. She said the varying sizes of the condo units would give people 55-and-older agency to choose a home that best suits their lifestyle.

“It’s not one size fits all, it’s more like different strokes for different folks,” Nowinski said. “Independent minded 55-plus seniors are on the rise, we are living long and have more active lives. Grainger is an experienced builder, has vested his time to what the majority of people 55-plus are looking for. His plans are a perfect with a variety of housing.”

The development would include 19 residential condo buildings and a club house, as well as an outdoor sundeck, a botanical garden and pickleball courts.

The western-most condos would be visible from Illinois Route 23 and the eastern-most units, made up of six-unit buildings, would be adjacent to a more dense, multi-family residential housing complex.

While Grainger would add single bedroom units to the Old Mill Park condo development, there would be more than a dozen two-bedroom units. The majority of those would be in buildings with fewer other residential units, and would likely sell for a higher price than the single bedroom units.

“The four-units will be the most expensive homes that we have,” Grainger said. “To best prepare for success or for the likelihood of success with the most expensive footprints, I wanted both to be on what I considered to be the best locations. I think that’ll give us the best likelihood of success with the larger square foot homes.”