Planned Townhomes Affordable For Elmhurst: Official

ELMHURST, IL – Planned townhomes in Elmhurst would likely be seen as affordable locally, although the cost would be considered "substantial" in other towns, the mayor said this week.

At a City Council meeting, Mayor Scott Levin, who said he spoke with the developer, did not reveal the prices under consideration.

"More on that later," he told aldermen.

In March 2023, the City Council unanimously approved 30 townhomes for the vacant lot at 240 W. Lake St.

The land in question has been vacant for more than a dozen years, once the site of a Ford auto body shop.

"I've had discussions with the developer, and he's interested in whether it's possible to make (the townhomes) available to those who are already Elmhurst residents who might be looking to downsize ... to make it Elmhurst first," Levin said.

A median-priced housing unit in Elmhurst is $517,000, more than double the statewide average, according to U.S. Census data.

When the City Council approved the project, the developer was listed as Elmhurst resident John Pembroke of Island Construction. Patch left messages with him Thursday morning.

The city agreed to spend money to build a sidewalk and extend a water main for the project. That money is coming from the neighborhood's tax increment financing district, or TIF, where growth in property tax money is designated for improvements in that area.

Under state law, such assistance can be made available if the project would not happen without the money.