Hinsdale Officials Want Age Rule For Condos

HINSDALE, IL – Hinsdale officials want proposed condos in an old private school to be age-restricted – in other words, for those 55 and older.

Last week, the Hinsdale Village Board looked at a plan for a dozen condos in the old Zion Lutheran School at 125 S. Vine St., which closed four years ago. The developer is South Bend, Indiana-based Holladay Properties.

Holladay wants to designate the condos as age-targeted. That means the company would make the complex appealing to senior citizens without an age requirement.

At the meeting, Drew Mitchell, a Holladay partner and a Hinsdale resident, said the company preferred age-targeted housing because that would permit flexibility. It would allow situations where grandchildren stay for a month or a daughter or son take care of an aging parent, he said.

Mitchell said he understood the board's desire for an age restriction, so the project would not add students to local schools.

"We passionately believe there won't be a net new addition of children," he said.

He noted the development would offer condos with two bedrooms and a den, rather than three-bedroom units.

"This decision was made expressly to avoid the additional desire for families to take residence in these units and potentially introduce new schoolchildren," Mitchell said.

He said restricting age may result in unintended consequences, but he was willing to go with the board's judgment.

Village President Tom Cauley was among the officials who preferred an age rule.

"If we start allowing age-targeted, it may be more difficult to say we won't give it to the next guy who comes with a much bigger project," Cauley said. "That's my concern."

Trustee Neale Byrnes, who expressed openness to an age-targeted complex, said the village should examine each project on its merits.

Cauley replied the village could, but the next developer may say, "You did this for him, why won't you do it for me?"

Mitchell said he would be surprised if another developer used the proposed complex as an example, particularly because of its uniqueness.

The village requires residential developments to include park space. Holladay proposes one park for residents and another for the public. The third one may be more ambiguous.

About the third park, Mitchell said, "we're not opposed to it being public. However, I think we would like to not promote that. It could be something that people in the neighborhood could utilize, but we're open to suggestions and ideas on that."

Depending on a number of factors, the units are expected to be priced $750,000 to $950,000, Mitchell said.

"We're convinced demand is very, very strong for this product type," he said. "What we have encountered professionally not just in this market but throughout the Midwest is the lack of housing for downsizing empty nesters. It just doesn't exist. They want to maintain their roots close to town. They may have grandkids here or the next town over, and there's no place to live that's low maintenance."

The board plans to vote on the project concept at a meeting in August.