Oswego board approves Harrison Street Square concept plan and special-use permit for dog park

The Oswego Village Board on June 24 approved a concept plan for Harrison Street Square, a downtown mixed-use development at 174 South Harrison Street, and separately granted a special‑use permit to allow a fenced dog park and indoor bar as part of the project.

The project site covers roughly 2 acres and includes an existing roughly 10,000‑square‑foot brick building plus two vacant parcels. Under the concept presented to the board, the existing building would be subdivided into multi‑tenant commercial space; a central parcel would become an open recreation area; the north parcel alongside the railroad would contain about eight small “starter” retail structures and three commercial pads with one pad reserved for food trucks. The board also approved a special‑use permit allowing an outdoor recreation use — a fenced dog run limited to about 2,700 square feet, surfaced with AstroTurf or a turf/grass mix, and enclosed with fencing up to 6 feet high.

Why it matters: the proposal is one of the most detailed downtown redevelopment plans considered recently by the village and is intended to activate the east end of Harrison Street with restaurants, small retail, seasonal and year‑round programming, and a dog‑friendly amenity that developers say will draw residents into the downtown.

Rod (staff member) told the board the site consists of three parcels and that the village’s comprehensive plan includes a Harrison Street streetscape with sidewalks, lighting and on‑street parking; staff said they are exploring accelerating the planned streetscape improvements, which are currently in the capital improvement plan for the next five years. The Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed the project on June 5 and recommended approval by a 6‑0 vote.

Jeff Miller, civil engineer and site planner with Watermark Engineering, said the developer has secured tenant interest. "Mike can't move it fast enough. So he's got lots of interest in tenants," Miller told the board. Miller said some building construction is proceeding under permit and the project team is trying to start construction this year.

The petitioner, identified in the record as Mike, said he has bids together and estimated the project’s current cost at about $1.2 million. He told the board the building could be open and occupied in the fourth quarter of this year, with the outdoor yard and tenanting for the public space more likely in the third or fourth quarter of next year.

Board members expressed support for the concept and urged the village to accelerate the Harrison Street streetscape work. Trustee McCarthy Lang said, "I do really love this concept. I...am excited. This is exactly what I'd love to see in our downtown." Trustees Novey, Koenig, Hughes, Cooper and Torres likewise voiced support during the discussion.

Project details and features discussed at the meeting included: conversion of the existing brick building into multi‑tenant space (the current occupant would remain in roughly 20% of the building); an outdoor pavilion and open central square intended for seasonal programming and year‑round use; a dog bar with an adjacent fenced off‑leash run on the south side of the building and an overhead door to connect indoor and outdoor spaces; a small cluster of eight boardwalk‑style retail “starter” shops near the railroad with a railroad‑themed design; space for three food trucks; and landscaping improvements along the railroad edge. The petitioner said some of the boardwalk shops would be seasonal while two or three would be anchor tenants open year‑round.

Votes at a glance - Consent agenda (items G1–G10, including minutes, a resolution releasing certain closed session minutes, multiple ordinances amending the Oswego Municipal Code and the Unified Development Ordinance, a reduction in a project surety bond for Piper Glen Subdivision, and contracts for ADA ramp/parking lot and a booster station generator): motion to approve the consent agenda was made, seconded and approved by roll call (trustees voting yes). (Motion text: "I will accept a motion to approve the consent agenda as read." Outcome: approved.) - Bill list: board approved the bill list dated 06/24/2025 in the amount of $1,024,197.83. (Motion text: "I'll accept a motion to approve the bill list dated 06/24/2025 in the amount of $1,024,197.83.") Outcome: approved by roll call. - Harrison Street Square concept plan: board accepted a motion to consider and approved the concept plan for the downtown commercial development at 174 South Harrison Street. (Motion text: "I will accept a motion to consider a concept plan for Harrison Street Square.") Outcome: approved by roll call. - Special‑use permit for outdoor recreation (dog park) at 174 South Harrison Street: board approved an ordinance granting the special‑use permit to allow an indoor bar/tavern with a connected outdoor fenced dog run limited to 2,700 square feet. (Motion text: "I'll accept a motion to approve an ordinance granting a special use permit for an outdoor recreation use for a dog park located at 174 South Harrison Street.") Outcome: approved by roll call.

Planning and next steps Rod said, if the petitioner proceeds, the next formal step is preliminary Planned Unit Development (PUD) approval before the Planning and Zoning Commission. Staff signaled an intent to bring the streetscape timing and capital improvements discussion to a future Committee of the Whole meeting, possibly in July, to consider accelerating the project’s public improvements. The petitioner and the engineer said building work that is permitted can proceed immediately and they are pursuing tenant fit‑outs and other approvals to open parts of the project later this year.

Community context and funding Meeting discussion included hopes that the project will knit together the east and west sections of downtown, complement existing parks and park‑district assets, and attract restaurants and small retailers. The petitioner described several utility and infrastructure tasks — including annexation, sewer work and power upgrades — that contribute to upfront costs. The petitioner’s ballpark estimate presented to the board was about $1.2 million for initial phases; the transcript states additional utility expenses (sewer, power) are expected but specific public funding sources were not specified.

What the board did not decide The board approved the concept plan and the special‑use permit but did not adopt final zoning or site plans at this meeting; the developer must return for preliminary PUD approvals and any necessary building permits. Specific ordinance numbers and contract identifiers for the Harrison Street items were not specified at the meeting record.

Closing note Planning staff and the petitioner said they will continue to refine timing, tenant lists and construction phasing and will return to the village for required approvals as the project advances.