Joel Andersen Homes Ltd. has put its 4.8-acre Nelson Meadow site up for auction, nearly four years after the village council approved its plan to build 11 homes on the parcel bordered by Blanchard Street on the north, Jefferson Avenue on the south, Brookbank Road on the west and Carpenter Street on the east.
The site, which was largely clear-cut but never developed, “is one of the last remaining large, prime residential development sites in Downers Grove,” according to Westar Properties Inc., which is handling the auction.
“Located less then one mile from the heart of town, this site is approved for 11 single-family homesites, with 75-foot minimum frontage each. Located in desirable school districts 58 & 99,” the Westar Web site states. The site is valued “in excess of $3.3 million.”
The property has been on the block since mid-December, said Steven H. Baumann, president and CEO of Westar. The deadline for sealed bids is Feb. 18.
“Interested parties are invited to make their best offer on or before the deadline,” he said. “The best offer determined by the seller wins.”
Baumann said there has been “good interest” in the property, which which had been undivided for 85 years before being purchased by Andersen in 2005.
Almost since the beginning, neighbors of the site have voiced concerns about stormwater management, pedestrian and bicycle safety, emergency vehicle access and tree preservation. As recently as November, a contingent of neighbors appeared before the village council to request a moratorium on parking restrictions for the north side of Jefferson, which borders the Nelson Meadow site.
The 11 home sites originally were anticipated to go for up to $385,000 each. Given the change economic environment and other projects, the developer is said to be interested in getting the Nelson Meadow property, which is one of the few remaining large and conveniently located local parcels, off the books.
While the Westar auction is targeted to builders and developers, Andersen reportedly is willing to make a deal with the park district or District 99 on the premise that either entity could use the parcel to supplement current recreational or athletic facilities.
Hey,
good thing there was all that clear cutting on the site…
I think this whole sequence of events with this track of land is a good learning experience to our leaders of this community. While we don’t want to be telling people what they can and can’t do with private property, the vast clear cutting of land based on the premise of maybe someday I’ll build something here has to be considered when granting variance requests. Especially to FOR PROFIT development companies.
They also clear cut the land on Ogden Ave, between Saratoga and Belmont, displacing a large amount of wild animals which now roam the neighborhoods looking for a place to live. Nothing has ever been build on that property and the clearing took place at least 4 years ago.