Opus Group’s proposal to construct mixed-use buildings at the Giesche Shoes site has received an initial nod from Glen Ellyn village board members.
This village support “means that we sit down and pick up where we left off and start drafting a memorandum of understanding on the basic business terms of what a potential sale of the Main Street parking lot could look like,” said village Manager Mark Franz, reports Dailyherald.com. “But there’s a lot of steps to go.”
The Minneapolis-based firm plans to build apartments and retail space at the Giesche property and Main St. parking facility as well as a parking structure on the nearby Glenwood Ave. parking lot, the St. Petronille Parish parking lot and the former rectory property.
The village trustees accepted the firm’s request for financial incentive earlier this week. A similar development plan on the recently shuttered McChesney & Miller grocery store by another developer, Next Generation, was rejected due to its financial unfeasibility.
“We’re excited for this opportunity to collaborate with the village of Glen Ellyn to bring this project to the community,” Sean Spellman, vice-president and general manager of Opus Development Company LLC, was quoted saying in an email. “We’re in the early planning stages of this project and look forward to sharing additional details as we are able.”
