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Council and staff make the case for adaptive reuse, citing tax revenue and reduced impermeable area
Summary
Staff and several commissioners told the Downers Grove council that converting the 1020 31st Street office building to housing furthers the comprehensive plan goals for adaptive reuse, would reduce impermeable surface, and could generate substantial tax revenue; they encouraged conditions and a corridor focus plan to manage precedent.
Council discussion on July 21 emphasized the community planning rationale for adaptive reuse of a largely vacant office building and presented detailed analyses of impacts and standards the council must weigh.
A commissioner summarized the zoning deviations requested—an increase in floor-area ratio, a height variance and a reduced setback—and said the conversions align with the comprehensive plan’s sustainability and reuse objectives. Staff noted the office site had an occupancy maximum of 1,100 people under its current use, and that the converted building is projected to house about 326 residents. “That’s 774 fewer potential people,” a commissioner observed while explaining the occupancy formulas cited in staff materials. Staff also listed three benefit items tied to the petition, including a one-time cash-in-lieu payment of $1,150,084.75 and an estimated increase of over $800,000 in annual property-tax revenue, most of which would go to school districts.
Despite approving the rezoning, council members repeatedly acknowledged neighbors’ concerns and several pledged to move forward with a sub-area or focus plan for the Highland/31st office park to avoid an unchecked precedent for similar conversions. Commissioners said they are open to conditions—such as timing benchmarks or pedestrian-connection commitments—to protect surrounding single‑family neighborhoods.
