93 apartments, more age-restricted housing OK’d for Crystal Lake; city expects big rise in 65-plus population

More housing is on the way to Crystal Lake, as the City Council unanimously approved a 93-unit apartment complex and a 67-unit expansion at the age-restricted Oakbrook Estates community during Tuesday’s meeting.

551 Congress Parkway

A 93-unit apartment complex within walking distance of the Pingree Road Metra station will be constructed at 551 Congress Parkway.

The plan was previously approved in 2022, but the approval has since expired after a two-year limit, Crystal Lake City Planner Elizabeth Maxwell said. The Crystal Lake Planning and Zoning Commission gave a positive recommendation to the plan earlier this month.

The apartment complex consists of three buildings with three stories each featuring 21 one-bedroom units and 72 two-bedroom units. Amenities include a grassy community area with a gazebo and benches, a dog park and a recreation area. An on-site parking lot with 199 spaces would be accessed via a single driveway on Exchange Drive.

Developers could start construction as early as March. Developer Ram Prashantha estimates rental rates would be $1,500 to $1,800 for one-bedroom units and about $2,100 for two-bedroom units.

Council member Mandy Montford said she liked seeing the more affordable pricing but worries about oversupplying the market, as an estimated 900 units are coming to the city in other recently approved developments.

“I do have concerns about the sheer volume of projects we have coming in right now,” she said.

The development will have a density of about 14 units per acre, a five-unit variance of the city’s code limit of nine units per acre. Many apartment complexes go over that limit because the number was set for townhome developments, Community Development Director Kathryn Cowlin said. In comparison, the downtown Enclave complex is about 20 units per acre, she said.

“With the proximity to the train station on Pingree, the variation for the higher density is acceptable in my eyes,” council member Ian Philpot said.

Oakbrook Estates

Developers will expand the age-restricted Oakbrook Estates community by adding 67 units near Three Oaks and Sands roads.

More than 332 units are occupied at the manufactured housing park at 917 Crookedstick Court. Developers are looking to expand the age-restricted housing for people ages 55 and older on about 9½ acres of undeveloped land at 4202 Three Oaks Road.

“We currently have more demand than we can keep up with,” Ravinia Communities Principal Manager David Worth said.

Developers and owners Ravinia Communities purchased the area in December 2021. Ravinia Communities originally requested approval for 69 units but agreed to reserve at least two lots to create an expanded outdoor community area. The Crystal Lake Planning and Zoning Commission gave a positive recommendation earlier this month.

Worth described the addition as a “higher-end section” called The Reserve at Oakbrook. The new area will have a lower density compared with the rest of the community, and each unit will have two parking spaces, he said.

The manufactured homes typically sell in the $120,000 to $180,000 range, with an additional site rent cost of $900 a month, Worth said. Residents also have the option to rent the homes for about $1,700 to $2,200 a month.

Access roads to the new expansion will be through existing entrances on Sands Road and Ravinia Way. An entry point on Three Oaks Road will be for emergency access only, according to city documents.

Council member Denise Smith said McHenry County is projected to have at least a 22% increase of its 65-and-older population over the next five years.

“I appreciate that you’re creating a place that they can age in place at a price point that they are all on restricted income,” she said.