320-Unit 'Upscale' Apartment Complex Planned In Oswego

OSWEGO, IL — Oswego may see a new apartment complex on the west side of Fifth Street, south of the Prairie Market shopping center, if the developer Continental Properties gets its way.

The 320 "upscale" apartments are planned to be built on the 27-acre site, according to the Aurora Beacon-News, which has been undeveloped since the Prairie Market development annexed it in 2005.

Bob McCaigue of Continental Properties, based in Wisconsin, said "This is a market-rate gated apartment community," according to the Sun. It would be a mix of apartment sizes, ranging from studios to three-bedroom apartments, and from 600 square feet to 1,400 square feet. The complex would include a resort style pool, a fitness center, clubhouse and more.

The project was originally approved for 210 townhomes, so if the Village Board approves the plan, Continental Properties will have to have a public hearing to amend the plan.

Traffic in the area was a concern of residents. It was estimated that about 2,000 vehicles per day would be added on Fifth Street, making the total 8,000—a number well below the roadway's capacity, according to a traffic consultant. The fact that the development has one road access point was brought up as a potential issue.

Village Administrator Dan Di Santo told the Beacon-News that there is a lot of work to be done, but Continental Properties has been moving forward inclusively and deliberately.

From the Beacon-News:

"[Continental Properties] must prove that their development is safe and will not have a detrimental impact on surrounding streets and neighborhoods — that may require modifications to the plan to reduce the unit count," [Di Santo] said. "It's premature to speculate on how the plan will change by the time it comes back to the Village Board, but it was encouraging that the developer seemed open and willing to cooperate."

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