Proposed St. Charles apartment complex scaled back following concerns from residents, alderpersons

Plans for a proposed five-story building near the Fox River in downtown St. Charles that would house one- and two-bedroom apartments along with retail space have been scaled back following concerns raised by residents about the project’s size.

St. Charles plan commissioners will hold a public hearing on the revised plans at 7 p.m. March 22 at the St. Charles Municipal Building, 2 E. Main St. The River East Lofts project would be built at the southeast corner of Illinois and Riverside avenues on the site of the former St. Charles Chamber of Commerce building. Developer Curt Hurst and his son, Conrad, own Frontier Development, which has been involved in several projects in downtown St. Charles.

The latest plans call for 43 residential units, including 27 one-bedroom apartments and 16 two-bedroom apartments. Previous plans called for 48 one- and two-bedroom apartments.

The building’s height also has been reduced. Concept plans had called for the building to be 63 feet tall and now it is 59 feet, 8 inches tall.

However, the zoning district for the area only allows for a maximum building height of 50 feet.

“This variance allows us to achieve the required densities for this project to deliver a successful product while still providing the opportunity for additional parking and functional open and gathering space for the community,” Conrad Hurst said in referencing the building’s height in an application to the city. “It also allows for flexibility in design so that the building can maintain its architectural interest especially with regard to the fifth floor set back from the primary façade (per design standard guidance) and the taper of the building and site into the adjacent residential zoning district. The final result is an attractive and impactful gateway element to the downtown.”

Residents attending the Aug. 16, 2021, meeting of the St. Charles City Council’s Planning and Development Committee said they didn’t think anything above 50 feet tall would be appropriate for a residential area and that it would be out of proportion for the neighborhood. Residents previously had voiced concerns at a July 20 Plan Commission meeting.

“Their proposal is ugly and greedy,” said Martha Gass, who lives on Third Avenue, in addressing alderpersons. “If you look at all sides of the building in the rendering, it doesn’t blend with anything within the several neighboring blocks that you can see in this view.”

Robert Carter, who also lives on Third Avenue, asked the City Council to look out for residents’ interests.

“We only have you to look out for our interests,” Carter said, in addressing alderpersons. “And I want you to take that to heart and realize that a lot of people feel they’re being overrun by contractors. It might be wrong, but it is an opinion.”

Alderpersons voiced similar concerns about the project.

“It is too dense, too high and too bulky,” 2nd Ward Alderperson Rita Payleitner said. “I appreciate any work you can do to diminish that.”

According to a staff report, the site is “severely underutilized.” The city’s Comprehensive Plan identified the site “as a catalyst site and contemplated a use similar to the one proposed,” the report stated.

Payleitner said she appreciated that the Hursts are trying to fulfill the intention of the Comprehensive Plan.

“I think that’s great,” she said. “I can’t tell you enough, gentlemen, how refreshing it is to have a developer speak to the intention of the Comprehensive Plan.”