Commission endorses Block 59 plans for restaurants and outdoor entertainment, including concerts, skating, fests
An upscale dining and entertainment destination with a four-season plaza for concerts and skating has the backing of the Naperville Planning and Zoning Commission.
The advisory body this week recommended the Naperville City Council approve parking, sign and light pole height variances for Block 59, a 16.5-acre business venture proposed for the northeast corner of Route 59 and Aurora Avenue by Brixmor Property Group, which owns the Heritage Square shopping center site.
The company, which also owns the connecting Westridge Court shopping center, is asking the city to revoke the Heritage Square planned unit development that’s been in place for more than 40 years in favor of a development plan that calls for restaurants and entertainment and experiential venues.
Brixmor would demolish all but two of the existing buildings — the Lazy Dog Restaurant at 436 S. Route 59 and the property housing the Burn Boot Camp at 476 S. Route 59 — and construct 11 new buildings.
Andrew Balzer, property director for Brixmor, told the commission that Block 59 draws inspiration from places like Parkway Bank Park in Rosemont, Mellody Farm in Vernon Hills, and Avalon and Halcyon in Alpharetta, Georgia, that offer both dining options and open space for year-round entertainment.
Balzer said the project is an opportunity to create something special in Naperville.
“It’s difficult to be able to try to find just as much area in such a good location that fits the right opportunity at the right time, and we believe that this is the right time,” he said.
Craig Soncrant, managing principal with landscape architectural firm Confluence, said the existing Heritage Square shopping center provides 6% of the land to open space whereas Block 59 will dedicate 23%.
Parking and pedestrian pathways will be reconstructed to make it easier for visitors to park their vehicle and walk the entire development.
One of the highlights is an event space that will be surrounded by restaurants.
Soncrant said the event area can be used in all four seasons in some capacity, whether for music, ice skating or a place for the kids to run around while their parents take a break.
Block 59 also will have flexible space near the Hollywood Palms cinema that can be used for parking or set up with tents for a farmers market or beer or arts festivals, he said.
The one sticking point for commissioners was a request to eliminate the required bypass lane for a restaurant with a drive-thru lane.
Commissioner Mark Wright said it’s a challenge pulling into a business and getting stuck with other vehicles headed for the drive-thru.
Commission Chairman Anthony Losurdo said in his nearly six-year tenure, the commission has never approved plans without a bypass lane.
“We don’t know what’s going in there. Whether it’s Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts or Stan’s Donuts or whatever it might be, we just don’t know,” Losurdo said.
Balzer said the tenant is a convenience-driven business and the 22 spaces would be important to the owner so customers can get in and out quickly.
When pressed as to who the tenant might be, Balzer said it was in the category of the businesses Losurdo listed.
Instead of eliminating the bypass lane around the building, commissioners said they’d be willing to compromise by allowing the bypass lane on one side through which traffic could exit at the rear of the property.
Despite the bypass concern, Losurdo said development will be great for the city.
“I think that’s been a dead area for a long time,” he said.
To fund the Block 59 redevelopment, Brixmor has asked the city to set up a business district that would allow an added 1% tax on sales made at the businesses within the district.
While Brixmor had wanted all of the connected businesses within Westridge Court to be added into the business district, council members said they’d only support a district that encompassed Block 59 and the eastern portion of Westridge Court.
A council hearing on Brixmor’s latest proposal is scheduled for Tuesday.
If all is approved in the next few months, Brixmor anticipates demolition to begin in July followed by site redevelopment and infrastructure work.
Balzer said the common areas, pathways, event lawn, lighting and landscaping should be done by June 2024 so building construction could begin a month later.
If all goes as planned, the first restaurants would open in the first quarter of 2025 in time for event programming in summer 2025, he said.
