The St. Charles City Council on Monday approved a residential development located on a 27-acre site on the north side of Smith Road at Pheasant Run Trl. The development, Springs at St. Charles, includes 320 apartment units within 16 two-story buildings. Wisconsin-based Continental Properties is the developer.
In a somewhat rare occurrence, the council was deadlocked 4-4, requiring Mayor Lora Vitek to cast the deciding vote.
Opposition to the project centered around its potential impact in the long-awaited redevelopment of the Charlestowne Mall. The proximity of an additional 320 reasonably high-end apartment units led to speculation that the mall would be less attractive to residential developers.
Ultimately, the prospect of attracting young professionals and couples proved to be the deciding factor.
The property resides in unincorporated Wayne Township, which St. Charles has the ability to annex in accordance with its boundary agreement with West Chicago. The Council also approved the annexation ordinance.
Continental Properties has 7 Springs developments throughout the region, including West Dundee, South Elgin, Oswego and North Aurora. According to the description on its website, the gated communities feature a clubhouse with a large multi-purpose gathering space, 24-hour state of the art fitness center, luxury kitchen area, work-from-home meeting spaces, and free coffee bar. A resort-style pool with a spacious sun deck sits adjacent to the clubhouse, along with an outdoor grill area. Pet-focused community amenities include multiple leash-free pet playgrounds and a pet spa.
