Bartlett officials preview Lake Street corridor master plan; open house set for next Wednesday

At a July 13 CEAC meeting, commissioners and planning staff outlined three development scenarios for Bartlett’s Lake Street corridor and described next steps that include a public open house and a later request-for-proposals to select developers.

The presenters said the ongoing Lake Street Corridor TIF work focuses on land the village controls, IDOT excess parcels and some private parcels. “There’s a big bulk of 43 acres owned by IDOT,” the presenter summarized, and the village also purchased “probably last late summer or fall” about 20 acres in the corridor. Consultants from Hausea Levine Associates prepared maps and scenarios using focus-group feedback and real-estate data to help the village determine a preferred approach.

Why it matters: the corridor is a northern gateway to Bartlett and carries heavy traffic. Presenters said roughly 40,000 vehicles a day travel the corridor, making design decisions important for economic development and neighborhood impacts.

Consultants offered three named scenarios. Scenario A, the Lake Street Mixed Use District, is the highest-density option centered on Lake Street frontage with a market core and large entertainment anchor; trustees said they found A potentially “too busy.” Scenario B, called Bartlett Commons Village, emphasizes a balanced mixed-use plan with varied housing types, some multifamily and additional open space. Scenario C, the Greenway District, is landscape-forward with scaled-down building heights and more green space. Staff said the board preferred elements of B and C and asked consultants to produce a hybrid Scenario D that would be refined into a final Scenario E for adoption.

Christy Stone, the village’s director of planning and development services, described how the engineering firm Michael Baker International is coordinating Oak Avenue realignment with the scenarios so traffic patterns and school-site access will work with proposed densities. “They’re also working with Michael Baker International, who is the engineering firm we hired to do the Oak Avenue realignment,” Stone said.

On housing, staff told the commission that apartment developers commonly focus on five‑story buildings and that about 200 units is often the threshold to attract institutional financing; commissioners stressed buffering and transitions to existing residential neighborhoods.

The consultants and staff emphasized site constraints—IDOT access, wetlands and remaining vacant buildings—and said those constraints are one reason the village is using TIF tools to enable redevelopment. Staff also discussed possible placemaking elements—markets, small retail kiosks, family-oriented attractions and wayfinding signage intended to draw visitors to downtown Bartlett.

Public engagement and next steps: staff said consultants will present a refined Scenario D at the open house, which will use stations where residents can speak with planners and the consultant team and review images and sizing options. The open house will be held next Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. in this room; staff said public input will be integrated before a final plan and eventual RFPs to developers.

The commission also noted there is already national developer interest. Staff said they will be seeking proposals after the master‑plan adoption and that the master plan will set expectations for the kinds and scale of development the village seeks.

The commission did not take a formal vote on the master plan at the meeting; staff described the open house and next technical steps.