Village Considers 2nd Site for Senior Housing

Woodridge could see two new senior housing facilities instead of just one. 

The village board discussed two possible sites for senior housing during Thursday's workshop on the topic. 

The first is the much-talked about Pine Ridge development. The village purchased a section of the former apartment complex in January with the intention of turning it into a senior housing facility. 

The 32-unit apartment building on that property was demolished this spring in preparation for that project. 

The village decided to move forward with the Pine Ridge senior housing development. You can read more about that here. 

There's another site down the road that has the village's attention, as well: Janes Plaza.  

It's the northeast corner of the intersection of Janes Avenue and 83rd Street, home to a strip mall, an office building and two acres of undeveloped land. 

The plaza sits in the Janes Avenue Tax Increment Funding (TIF) district, which also includes the Janes Avenue soccer fields, the 83rd Street Plaza, the former J&L Fasteners Express building, the Waterbury Complex, Dove's Landing Subdivision and Echo Point Park

A TIF district means that taxes are used to fund development in the area, which will in turn hopefully increase its value. 

The village can amend the TIF plan later this year to add senior housing or develop the area in a more commercial fashion. 

A study commissioned by the village deemed the area suitable for senior housing. However, the idea did not receive the full support of the village board. 

Trustees David Pittinger and Joseph Kagann voiced dissent for the project while Mayor William F. Murphy and Trustees Gina Cunningham-Picek, Pamela Beavers and Anne Banks said they remained open to the idea.

Trustee Greg Abbott was not in attendance. 

Pittinger said he was against the Janes Plaza development because the village stood to lose more money. 

"We have no idea what our overall lose or gain is going to be on (the Pine Ridge) property," Pittinger said. "To be fair, it will be a loss...We've already bitten off quite a bit."

Pittinger mentioned he'd possibly like to see TIF money be returned to the taxing body to alleviate the tax burden on Woodridge residents.