Streetscape Designs Get Positive Feedback From Downers Grove Council

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — Commissioners gave positive feedback to streetscape preferred designs that were presented at Tuesday's council meeting, praising the concepts as a "great improvement" that will provide the downtown area with a "distinctive look." The presentation featured streetscape improvements to downtown Downers Grove, along with Fairview Avenue and an area connecting Fairview to downtown.

Community Development Director Stan Popovich presented the plans, with an aim to get "clear direction" from council members before the designs are finalized by Hitchcock Design Group. The latter was the team behind the design of the village's new civic center.

The downtown streetscape design features four flexible amenity spaces that can be used for outdoor dining, events and other uses, depending on the season. These proposed spaces would be located near the Downers Grove Public Library on Forest Avenue, at the southeast corner of Burlington and Main, at the east side of Maple and Main and at the intersection of Curtiss and Washington Streets.

Shade structures, public art, seat walls, pedestrian crosswalks and gateway features were also presented as part of the downtown plan, with some designate mid-block crosswalks and lighting that will be tailored to increase visibility. The design also calls for two dozen areas designated for al fresco dining, which are estimated to reduce downtown parking by 17 spots.

Commissioner Greg Hose praised the concept design, saying, "Overall, I think this plan is fantastic. Overall, I think this would be a great improvement to our downtown."

Similar praise was expressed by Commissioner Mike Davenport, who called the flexible amenity space at Curtiss and Main "super important."

He said, "That's in the heart of our downtown. That's a piece that's been missing for a long time, and we've turned to the train station frequently to be that for us, and it's going to continue to be that for us in a big way, but to at least get something there that we don't currently have, I think is super important."

Davenport added, "The more paving that we can remove and replace it with these art amenities, more plantings, trees, shelters, it just really helps to play up the downtown."

Of the flexible amenity spaces, Commissioner Martin Tully said he "would like to push the creative envelope even farther."

"We're not focusing enough on the flexibility of location and the flexibility of seasonality," Tully said, encouraging staff to explore even more options for the spaces.

Leslie Sadowski-Fugitt and other commissioners raised concerns about diagonal pedestrian crosswalks that were presented in the plan, including one near the intersection of Warren Avenue and Prospect.

Sadowski-Fugitt mentioned problems that have been observed with the diagonal crosswalk at Washington Street.

The designers agreed to reassess the crosswalk at Warren and Prospect and also review a pedestrian crosswalk at Rogers and Main Street.

Here, the streetscape plan covers a connection area that aims to link Fairview Avenue and downtown Downers Grove, with part of Rogers serving as an asphalt path that could accommodate multiple uses.

Other plans for this area include wayfinding signs and improvements to intersections.

Mayor Bob Barnett suggested focusing on the Fairview Avenue area near the train station as "an obvious communal space" that would be similar to the vision for downtown.

Plans to redevelop the streetscape downtown and at Fairview Avenue have been in the works since February 2024, with design workshops and open houses held throughout the past year. With feedback from Tuesday's meeting in mind, village staff will working on solidifying plans for the streetscapes, along with concepts for capital projects in the village and outdoor dining downtown.

At the Feb. 11 village meeting, commissioners will review plans for outdoor dining, including locations, hours and maintenance. The Feb. 18 village meeting will cover preliminary design concepts for the Main Street Station Plaza.