‘Transit-oriented’ apartments, townhouses proposed for Cary at old Maplewood School: See 3 options

Three developers are vying against each other for the chance to build market-rate townhome and apartment complexes at the long-shuttered Maplewood School property in Cary.

The school district reluctantly agreed last year to sell its Maplewood property to the village for $5.5 million and develop a new transportation site at another location after a long dispute. The intergovernmental agreement spells out that the village will buy the property for $5.5 million upfront. The agreement came after the village rejected District 26’s attempts to rezone Maplewood to allow for a new transportation center.

Over 20 developers expressed interest in the site, and three submitted proposals that village trustees discussed on Tuesday. No votes were taken, with next steps the potential selection of a preferred development that would then go through the village board, Community Development Director Brian Simmons said.

All three developers proposed similar complexes, all with apartment buildings, separate townhome buildings and plenty of outdoor and indoor amenities. The proposals are called “transit-oriented” because the 15.6-acre property at 422 W. Krenz Ave. is walking distance from the Metra station.

At Tuesday’s meeting, some residents expressed concerns over the potential density and lack of owner-occupied options. Others said they don’t want to see four- or five-story buildings in the area.

Resident Randy Scott, who is running for Cary mayor against incumbent Mayor Mark Kownick, said he would like to see starter owner-occupied homes for young families.

“I think we can do better,” Scott said.

Throughout the years of the village trying to spur development at Maplewood, a developer has never proposed single-family homes there, Trustee Jennifer Weinhammer said. Previous developers have proposed the creation of similar multifamily townhomes or apartments, but all ultimately stepped away.

“We live in a time of passion for people wanting rental apartments. They want transit-orientated developments,” Kownick said. “We have a huge shortage in McHenry County of market-rate apartments.”

Resident Al Tuman suggested the property be rezoned as a business district.

“You keep talking about a downtown. There is no downtown,” he said. “There’s like five gaming stores.”

Kownick said downtown is growing with business interest and Cary is known as a restaurant destination.

“The best is yet to come,” he said. “We have a lot of things going on. It just takes time.”

Here’s more on the three options:

Option 1

Cordogan Clark proposes five-story apartment blocks with about 200 units oriented by Route 14 and surrounded by three-story buildings of 50 townhomes.

Cordogan Clark Design Director Bruce Cairns showed an option with two parking spaces per unit and one with 1.5 spaces per unit that allows for more green space. With the extra space, they can add a dog park, pool, outdoor workspaces and extra stormwater retention. Indoor amenities can include a fitness center, workspaces and an entertainment kitchen.

Developers said they’re flexible with where to add entrance roads to the property, adding studio apartments and changing unit and parking space numbers to fit whatever is best for the area.

“We want the community to help us define the final product,” Cordogan Clark Managing Partner Michael Poulakidas said.

Option 2

Lynmark Group proposes 288 apartments in two five-story buildings, plus 44 townhomes. Described as a “luxury multi-family development,” the apartment buildings would be connected to an indoor common area that would lead to an outdoor courtyard space with a pool and fire pit, Lynmark Group Director of Midwest Operations Brad Friedman said.

“The more units you have, the stronger your amenity package is going to be,” he said. “That’s what sets us apart from the other buildings.”

Developers plan to replicate a mixed-use development that opened in 2020 at 375 W. Dundee Road in Wheeling. The complex offers full-time staff on-site with a lobby, club room, rentable party room, fitness space, work stations, conference room, package room with refrigerators and dog-washing stations. The townhomes could be rentable or owner-occupied, depending on market, Friedman said.

Option 3

Alessio Companies and VDR Development Group aim to build 284 apartment units in two- and four-story buildings with no townhomes.

The plan includes a separate one-story clubhouse with a game room, bars, fireplace, business center, bike storage room, package room and a dog-washing room. Outside the community area can include a pool, dog park, grill stations and fire pits, Charles Hall Construction President Kevin Micheli said.

A small piece of land could be dedicated to the village for a community park that could include a playground, gazebo, and recreational or sitting areas, Micheli said.

The team expects the majority of their tenants to be young couples with few children. Micheli also said they can be flexible with height and density changes.

The village issued a public proposal request in September. The property is in the downtown tax increment financing district that was created in 2023. Currently zoned single-home residential, it houses the former school, six baseball fields and District 26’s transportation center.

Now that the village owns the property, officials are moving forward with the Maplewood Access Road Extension project that aims to improve mobility in downtown Cary. The new road would be an extension of Industrial Drive, running from Cary Algonquin Road to High Road, parallel with Route 14 and south of the railroad tracks.

Village trustees said they would like to see studio apartments, more indoor parking and a community park at the corner of Krenz Avenue and School Street. Kownick said he hopes more people give their opinions on the proposals, so developers can work with the village to create a project that residents want to see.

“We want to hear what people have to say,” he said.