More Senior Housing Proposed for New Lenox
The Plan Commission held a public hearing last week to discuss a senior housing complex that would be built off Calistoga Drive and Laraway Road, near Berkot's Super Foods.
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More senior housing was proposed for New Lenox last week, adding to the list of local developments targeting the village's older population.
The Plan Commission held a public hearing last week to discuss a senior housing complex that would be built off Calistoga Drive and Laraway Road, near Berkot's Super Foods.
Planning Administrator Robin Ellis said the public hearing was not closed and will continue to the commission's Feb. 7 meeting. In the meantime, the Village Board will likely solicit input from the community during a Jan. 23 public hearing related to annexation of the 3-acre land on which the senior housing would be built.
Lincoln-Way Builders plan for 74 units with a mix of one- and two-bedroom options. Many units would be income-restricted, though Ellis didn't have details of the cost available. She said it would be similar to another proposed senior development, The Lodge at Bristol Meadows, in which residents could not make more than $36,600 per year and monthly rent would be $650 for one bedroom and $1,000 for two bedrooms.
The Plan Commission's biggest concern with the development was parking. Village officials would like two spaces per unit, but currently plans call for just under 1.5. Ellis said that being next to the commercial area in Berkot's could help with some parking.
In the last year, multiple proposals have been made for senior housing in New Lenox. The township offers a senior complex, but it's at capacity and has a long waiting list. Paradise Park Assisted Living, with a capacity of 80 people, is also in town, but as the population grows more people are seeing the need for additional housing.
Bristol Meadows was approved by the village in 2011 and would include a three-story senior apartment building, townhomes, duplexes and single-family homes near Laraway and Schoolhouse roads.
There are also plans for senior housing as part of the Spring Creek outlet mall development, and when the village annexed the vacant land northeast of the Walmart area, developer Andy Dystrup said he's received some interest from senior housing developers in the past. At that meeting, some trustees pointed out the number of senior housing proposals in town.
"Certainly there’s a demand for senior housing, but we are seeing more of those (developments) of late," trustee Nancy Dye said.
About 17.8 percent of New Lenox's population is currently 55 years or older, but just over a quarter of the population is between 40 and 54 years old, so the need for more senior housing could grow.
Ellis said this new proposal likely wouldn't be much of a concern as to whether there's too many senior housing developments in town, and that's because it would be income-restricted.
"I wouldn't imagine many problems because we'd be providing affordable housing," she said.
In This article
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Berkot's Super Foods
2141 Calistoga Dr, New Lenox, IL -
Paradise Park Assisted Living
1023 S Cedar Rd, New Lenox, IL -
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Nikki Sanders
9:15 am on Monday, January 9, 2012
Are these being restricted to area residents, as it the Township's building?
Are they open to section 8 tenants?
judd w. bonamino
11:12 am on Monday, January 9, 2012
more low income senior housing in town? wake up! who do you think is going to fill these cheap units. stop it!
Lisa
2:44 pm on Monday, January 9, 2012
"About 17.8 percent of New Lenox's population is currently 55 years or older, but just over a quarter of the population is between 40 and 54 years old, so the need for more senior housing will grow." I ask... Why would it grow....these individuals are already residing in something in the village- are they going to turn 55 and a light comes on and says 'let's move to senior housing project' I don't think so! If anything they will move to a warmer climate one with less taxes and better government!
Michael Sewall
2:45 pm on Monday, January 9, 2012
Good point, Lisa. The population is also expected to grow, and there remains the chance that people living in a house now could seek age- or income-restricted housing. But I changed the article to reflect that the need could grow, not that it will.
Dawn Davis Churchill
2:47 pm on Monday, January 9, 2012
I plan to live in my own regular house until I'm in such bad shape that I'm dragged kicking & screaming to a nursing home. So don't bother building any "senior housing" for me! :)
Lisa
2:52 pm on Monday, January 9, 2012
Michael one thing that would make individuals change to an age/income restricted housing would be the huge property tax bills New Lenox sees. I fall into that 40 to 54 age range and don't plan on selling the HOUSE I currently live in and would have paid off by retirement age just to move into something age or income restricted- the only thing that would drive me to do that is property tax and state tax rates. I would then move someplace warmer and more tax friendly!
AC
10:37 am on Wednesday, January 11, 2012
This is becoming a very troubling trend, especially when taken in concert with the low-income commercial businesses being built by Walmart. I have a concern that we will have major issues with increasing tax rates for school improvements and maintenance if we continue to provide senior housing, especially low income housing. My house value will never grow if we start to neglect our schools, which are a major plus to our community currently.
Mark P
12:09 pm on Friday, January 13, 2012
Lets see, Balderman brought in an Aldi's and a Goodwill. Where is our Dollar store?
Jill
12:52 pm on Friday, January 13, 2012
we have a dollar store., it's been there for years..
off of nelson and 30. it's behind burger king in that strip mall.
N Yan
4:06 pm on Monday, January 16, 2012
Wow. Wow. Seriously, when will the people of NL wake up... and vote Balderman and his crew out of office. MORE senior housing? Decide Balderman... do you want to bring young families to this area, or old low-income seniors to the community? I know I would prefer the young families. This town does NOTneed LOW INCOME SENIOR housing. And then Balderman's office will come out with polls ... "what do you want to see being built"... and it's never what the people express an interest in. We've got the Aldi, White Castle, Goodwill, Walmart. Now more low income senior housing. Joke. Utter joke. All I hope is that I can sell my house for at least what I bought it as in 5 years and get out of here before this is the next Chicago Heights.