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New owner won’t impact plan

The Enterprise
July 14, 2005
By Madhu Mayer

Pleased with architectural and landscaping designs, the village board told potential new owners of a residential development to proceed with their plans.

Representatives of Gladstone Homes sought input on the proposed purchase of the Chatham Square project from Pulte Homes during the July 11 committee of the whole workshop.

The 145-acre residential development is on 127th Street, west of Heggs Road and north of the Grande Park subdivision.

Village planner Michael Garrigan said the annexation agreement, special use for a planned unit development and preliminary plat were approved by the village board in March 2005.

The original project was approved for 218 single-family and 104 townhome units, wrote Garrigan in his report.

The applicant is a semi-custom home builder and has previously developed the Heritage Oaks and Water's Edge developments in Plainfield. Gladstone Homes, according to Garrigan, is proposing to reduce the number of townhomes from 104 units to 84 units and increase the number of single-family lots from the current 218 to 238.

The additional lots would be added to this development through the process of lowering the minimum lot size from 11,000 to 8,000 square feet, said Garrigan. Gladstone Homes is proposing a different townhome product and a maximum of four units per building. But the applicant, according to Garrigan, is not proposing any changes to the street network or the amount of open space within the proposed development.

Adam Dontz, vice president of real estate development for Gladstone Homes, assured trustees that the development would be to their liking. As I look around Plainfield, I've noticed that the board is saying, We want high quality architecture, said Dontz, who regularly attends the village board meetings.

In my opinion, we are increasing the bar and increasing the quality of architecture in this community.

We are trying to build a product that is very conscientious of the needs you have expressed. But trustee Michael Collins asked Dontz what would stop his company from selling the residential development to another builder.

Dontz said there is a reason why his company is making the financial commitment in Plainfield.

These standards I am proposing and amending to the annexation agreement, in my opinion, will result in a housing development that is of very high quality, said Dontz.

Trustee James Racich agreed with Dontz's assessment. I really think the product you are offering is superior, said Racich.