Roundabout, Apartments Coming; Water Rates To Rise: Mayor Baldermann

NEW LENOX, IL — Love or hate the idea, New Lenox will be getting a roundabout at Haven Avenue and Cedar Road, after the Village has acquired the land necessary to make it happen, Mayor Tim Baldermann shared in his State of the Village address last week.

The update was one of several key highlights from his speech delivered Nov. 10. The Village has the land, he updated residents on social media and "yes it's going to be great, so skip the memes," Baldermann chided. The roundabout—a much-debated and long-consideredsolution to the quirky, zig-zagging intersection—will be 80 percent funded by outside sources, Baldermann said.

The Village has also secured State funding for its train station, and money for police operations, Baldermann added.

Also highlighted was a "redundant water line project that has been in the works for a decade," Baldermann said. The project "will exceed $300 million, with our share being close to $30 million," Baldermann said. Residents can expect to see rate increases of an unknown amount, Baldermann told Patch, to pay for water lines, mains, and the new wastewater treatment plant. It's "unknown what the increases will be for the life of the project," he said.

"We are dealing with water mains more than 50/60 years old, and two sewer treatment plants that are at capacity," Baldermann wrote in his update.

Baldermann said the Village is being proactive by pursuing the project.

"Building the lines and a new plant will see costs exceeding $100 million. This board and I don’t believe in putting a Band-aid on these projects. By doing what we’re doing, we are making sure New Lenox addresses important quality of life issues," he said, "that if neglected, could impact your health, property values, and in the long run would cost the taxpayers more money."

Residents might have already noticed that construction has started on the Lincoln Station Apartments, "high-end" apartments by the New Lenox Metra station. The complex will include five apartment buildings, each with 44 apartments hoped to be ideal for commuters, or empty-nesters seeking to stick close to family, Baldermann said. The developer is using FHA loans to build, Baldermann stated, stressing that the Village has not contributed funds to the project. The buildings will offer 70 percent studio and 1-bedroom units, and will include a clubhouse, Baldermann said. The area does not have direct Route 30 access, making it less ideal for businesses, he noted. Tenants could move in as soon as summer 2023.

Other highlights:

• 400 new housing permits issued over the past 30 months
• 145 new businesses opened in town in the past 30 months
• Industrial growth restricted to the Cherry Hill Business Park off Gougar Road

Residents can watch the full State of the Village address below: