The Oswego Planning and Zoning Commission Thursday will review a concept plan for a proposed three-story 40-unit age-restricted senior apartment building in the village.
Representatives of Skylark Senior Apartments Limited Partnership are proposing a senior living complex with 30 one-bedroom units and 10 two-bedroom units on about six acres east of Ogden Falls Boulevard and south of Route 34. The property is currently unimproved, village officials said.
The developer has requested the original lot of eight acres be subdivided into two parcels. The southern six acres would be rezoned from commercial to a multiple-unit dwelling district, Oswego Assistant Development Services Director Rachel Riemenschneider said in a report to the commission.
Village staff is supportive of the rezoning pending preliminary approval of engineering for the proposal, officials said.
“While the proposed use is not consistent with this designation, the property has been vacant for over 20 years and 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,” Riemenschneider said.
The northern two acres of the site would remain a business district for future commercial development, the village planner said.
The proposed residential development would be restricted to residents 55 years old and older. The building would include a community room and fitness center, according to plans.
The developer is seeking financial credits for the project, village officials said.
“In order to guarantee affordability for the senior residents, the project plans to utilize a tax credit program from the Illinois Housing Development Authority. This is similar to two existing affordable housing buildings in Oswego: Diamond Senior Apartments (on Orchard Road) and DeVille Manor (on Fifth Street), which is currently under construction,” Riemenschneider said.
Since it is an age-restricted proposal, school impact and land/cash fees would be waived, officials said. Other development fees from the proposed project would be distributed to the village, Oswego Fire Protection District, park and library districts.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
