Affordable senior apartment building proposed in Oswego

A proposed development aims to increase the amount of affordable senior housing options in Oswego.

A three-story, 40-unit senior apartment building is being proposed on about 5.6 acres east of Ogden Falls Boulevard and south of Route 34. Oswego planning and zoning commissioners will review plans for Skylark Senior Apartments at their meeting at 7 p.m. Dec. 5 at Oswego Village Hall, 100 Parkers Mill, Oswego.

As proposed, the building would include 30 one-bedroom units and 10 two-bedroom units, Oswego assistant development services director Rachel Riemenschneider said in a memo. The building would include an elevator, a community room, a fitness center and on-site property management, she said.

The lot in the Ogden Falls commercial subdivision currently is 8.2 acres. Plans are to subdivide the lot into two parcels.

The senior apartment building would be built on the southern parcel and the northern 2.6 acre parcel would remain vacant for future commercial development. Residents would have to be at least 55 years old.

“In order to guarantee affordability for the senior residents, the project plans to utilize a tax credit program from the Illinois Housing Development Authority,” Riemenschneider said. “This is similar to two existing affordable housing buildings in Oswego: Diamond Senior Apartments and DeVille Manor, which is currently under construction.”

A housing study is recommending Oswego diversify its housing market to attract more first time home buyers as well as encourage smaller homes for empty nesters looking to downsize.

As the study noted, the village’s aging population is growing and has changing housing needs.

“Between 2012 and 2022, the number of seniors in Oswego more than doubled,” Ben Schnelle, manager of housing initiatives for the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, said in talking about the study at the Nov. 18 Oswego Committee-of-the-Whole meeting. “As we note in the report, this is a trend that’s happening everywhere, not just in Oswego. But we do note that it’s happening at a faster pace in Oswego.”

The village’s Comprehensive Plan designates the area for commercial use. Riemenschneider noted the property has been vacant for more than 20 years.

“Staff believes that the senior living use will provide a suitable transition between future commercial and the existing single-family residential uses to the south,” she said.

Village staff has recommended approving preliminary plans for the project and rezoning the land. Because the development would be age restricted, school impact and land/cash fees will be waived and park donations will be made in the form of cash in lieu of land, Riemenschneider said.