Municipalities look to redevelop land, closed buildings
Not since the aftermath of the Great Chicago Fire has there been this much civic streetscaping going on.
History buffs among us might recall that the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 devastated more than 2,000 acres and destroyed more than 17,000 buildings in the city’s heart. Architects such as William Le Baron Jenney, Daniel Burnham, John W. Root, Louis Sullivan, and Dankmar Adler set about designing a new city — including streets, parks, skyscrapers, even whole neighborhoods.
West Dundee bought the remainder of Spring Hill Mall, which straddles it and Carpentersville, for $7 million in October. The mall, built in 1980, sits on 100 acres — 85% of which is in West Dundee. All tenants were required to move out of the mall by March 22 — except for the Kohl's, which is owned separately, and the Cinemark Theater.
The Daily Herald reported that Bloomingdale wants to get about revitalizing Stratford Square after following its purchase in April by infusing it with a mix of retail, restaurants, entertainment destinations and public green space. Earlier this year, the village purchased the final piece of the 275-acre property for $8.75 million.
Similar, more targeted efforts are underway across the area. Crystal Lake has begun developing 30 acres along Route 14 — formerly home to a strip mall, grocery store and a Walmart — that abuts the Three Oaks Conservation Area. Dubbed Water’s Edge, the city hopes to create more than 40,000 square feet of retail and restaurant spaces, 260 housing units and public open spaces.
The village of Fox River Grove bought up an entire block along Route 14 with the idea of demolishing all of the historic buildings, formerly its downtown core, and replacing them with a mix of commercial and housing uses. Compasspoint Development, LLC, hopes to build 60 studio, 60 one-bedroom and 30 two-bedroom units.
It is the same company that bought the former Journal & Topics Media Group building at 622 Graceland Ave., home to the Des Plaines Post Office from 1941 to 1974. Similarly, it intends to put a mixed-use, seven-story building that will accommodate 131 apartments, a restaurant and a lounge.
The recipe de jour for downtown development, in Des Plaines and across the Northwest suburbs, is for developers to offer retail space on the ground floor so long as they can cantilever housing units above it. Fortunately, there are exceptions.
The city of Des Plaines bought the Des Plaines Theatre for $1.3 million in 2018 after it sat vacant for many years. With the financial assistance of Rivers Casino, it invested $6.7 million in renovations with an eye toward creating a downtown destination. It is my hope that something similar will happen to former Des Plaines State Bank Building at 678 Lee St.
The imposing 1915 building is sheathed in marble and boasts a terrazzo floor and a vaulted lobby. Efforts by the city to buy the building stalled, but it is actively marketing two other downtown signature properties.
Des Plaines acquired the Leela Arts Building in January 2023 for $2.09 million. The former Masonic temple spans 29,000 square feet. It also owns two buildings on the 1400 block of Miner St. — the 1913 former First National Bank of Des Plaines building and the former Bremer’s Stationers building next door at 1488 Miner St.
“We could sell them or lease them out to multiple users to do more things downtown,” said Emily Shaw, management analyst with the city. “It depends on what the vision is for it.”
Here’s hoping part of the vision includes historic preservation. Remembering where you come from is critical when determining the direction you intend to go.
Upcoming programs
• A Hands-On History program, which takes place at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, May 5, at the Des Plaines History Center, 781 Pearson St., will teach kids ages 5-12 how to make ice cream. Have you ever wondered how people got their food before freezers and supermarkets existed? Learn more about cooking the old-fashioned way, including making homemade ice cream.
“Surprisingly, people have been enjoying ice cream long before modern freezers were invented,” said Emma Marston, interpretive curator. “Making our own ice cream is a great way to combine history and science, and it tells us a lot about how people lived in the past.”
One note: the recipe for this program includes dairy products and is not vegan; contact the History Center directly for information about allergens and other food issues.
• “Unvarnished: Housing Discrimination in the Northern and Western U.S.” is the topic of the 1:30 p.m. May 9 Coffee Talk at the Des Plaines History Center, 781 Pearson St. The presentation delves into how housing discrimination (often based on race, ethnicity, or religion) resulted in segregation patterns across the northern and western United States that intensified over the 20th century.
In addition to the national context, presenter Jeanne Schultz Angel, Naper Settlement associate vice president, will examine how systemwide discrimination shaped six communities: Naperville and Oak Park, as well as Appleton, Wis.; Brea, Calif.; and West Hartford, Conn.
To register, call (847) 391-5399 or email contact@desplaineshistory.org. Any day-of availability will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Donations to help underwrite the cost of these free programs are appreciated.
• Kurt Begalka is executive director of the Des Plaines History Center. He may be reached at kbegalka@desplaineshistory.org.