St. Charles residents continue to voice concerns about redevelopment of former police station site along Fox River

Although she is happy that St. Charles leaders plan to take more time to figure out the best use for the former police station site along the Fox River, resident Eileen Kanute is still concerned about the impact proposed redevelopment plans would have on the riverfront.

St. Charles Mayor Lora Vitek announced last week that she plans to revisit the redevelopment process in the spring. Discussion of two concept plans for the site has been dropped from the Nov. 14 City Council Planning and Development Committee meeting.

More than 700 people have signed a petition opposing Frontier Development’s plans. The petition, started by Kanute, opposes the plan for several reasons, including that the proposal is too big for the riverfront and that heavy traffic will overwhelm the surrounding neighborhoods and Main Street.

“On behalf of the hundreds of St. Charles residents who oppose the massive projects proposed for the downtown riverfront, we are encouraged that Mayor Vitek has decided to revisit the review process for the concepts proposed for the old police station site,” Kanute and her husband, Mike, said in a statement on Monday. “She obviously has heard and is responding to the overwhelming negative reaction and strong public comment in opposition to the Frontier Development proposal. However, we are disappointed that the mayor has not voiced her clear opposition to the Frontier Development proposal and removed that proposal from further consideration.”

St. Charles residents packed the City Council chambers Oct. 10 to hear about two redevelopment proposals for the former St. Charles police station site. During the City Council’s Planning and Development Committee meeting, Chicago-based Murphy Development Group and Frontier Development, which has been involved with several projects in downtown St. Charles, presented their plans for the land.

Murphy Development Group proposes to build a five- to seven-story building that would house 141 apartments, a restaurant and retail space. The project would cost an estimated $60.5 million, with the developer not seeking any incentives from the city.

Frontier Development, in partnership with Chicago-based The Prime Group and Architectural Wood Expressions, proposes to build one six-story building and parking garage that would contain 107 residential units, four restaurants, 164 hotel rooms, a spa/fitness center and conference space. An 85,000-square-foot outdoor plaza, two rooftop pools and 750 lineal feet of public riverwalk also are part of the plans.

The project would cost about $150 million to build, with the developers asking the city for up to $20 million tax increment financing and revenue sharing financing provided by the city.

“We continue to believe that the Frontier Development proposal is massively inappropriate for that site and would be terrible for our town; that the riverfront land, which belongs to the people of St. Charles, should not be given free of charge to Frontier Development; that the city should not help underwrite Frontier Development with $20 million in TIF funding; and that we should not pave over our remaining public riverfront land with an 85,000 square foot concrete slab,” the couple said. “We are concerned that the mayor is simply pushing pause and will attempt to reintroduce the Frontier Development concept in the future...possibly after the April city election. We cannot let that happen. The people of St. Charles do not want that overblown building on our riverfront. If the mayor will not unequivocally take the Frontier Development proposal off the table, we will continue to do everything in our power to oppose it and make sure the mayor, City Council and Frontier Development hear our voices.”

In response, Vitek said the city has received both positive and negative comments about both of the proposals.

“The City Council believes some valid issues were raised in the public discussions when the concepts were presented,” Vitek said in an email. “I am taking the time to engage staff to further look into issues such as parking, traffic and use of the river. While this may slow the process a bit, I believe the additional research and review are important to the successful redevelopment of the site.”