The long-empty stretch of Bricher Commons just west of Randall Road may finally be getting a pulse. St. Charles aldermen are considering a sweeping proposal that would stack 306 market-rate apartments alongside a 167-unit senior living center on roughly 29 acres. The two-part concept went before the City Council’s committee of the whole last Monday for an early gut check from officials before developers sink time into detailed plans. If it moves ahead, the project would fill a long-vacant portion of the Bricher Commons planned unit development south of Route 38 and could reshape that commercial corridor.
What’s proposed
According to the city's plan commission agenda from the City of St. Charles, the multifamily piece, branded Springs at 38 West, would occupy about 22.2 acres. It would be spread across 14 low-rise buildings with a clubhouse and outdoor amenities. The senior housing component, Traditions of St. Charles, would sit on roughly 7.3 acres and is planned to offer independent living, assisted living, and memory-care units.
Rents and amenities
Continental Properties' presentation lays out a rent matrix that pegs studios near $1,636, one-bedrooms around $1,905, and two-bedrooms roughly $2,333 per month, and highlights a lineup of perks that includes two pet playgrounds, a pickleball court, a 24-hour resident lounge, and a fitness center, as reported by the Chicago Tribune. The multifamily portion alone is estimated to cost about $90 million, according to developers' materials shared with city officials.
Affordable housing and fees
Under St. Charles' affordable housing rules, any project with more than 15 units must reserve 10% of its apartments at 60% of the area median income, which city documents say would work out to about 31 affordable units in a 306-unit complex in the City of St. Charles. Continental told officials it plans to meet that minimum. The Leo Brown Group, which is under contract to purchase the senior housing parcel, asked for an exemption for the independent living units and floated a fee-in-lieu arrangement instead. City staff responded that a payment would be required if affordable units are not provided on-site.
Parking, staffing, and park asks
Concept plans from the developers call for 149 garage spaces and about 350 surface parking stalls to serve the apartments. The senior facility would provide its own surface parking along with 36 garage spaces for residents, the presentation shows. The Leo Brown Group estimates Traditions of St. Charles would employ roughly 50 staff members and has pegged that part of the project at about $50 million. Meanwhile, the St. Charles Park District has asked the city to secure a roughly two-acre public park site within the development, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Next steps and local context
City staff framed the concept review as a first-pass conversation to gather feedback before developers draw up detailed architectural and engineering plans. Officials said additional zoning reviews and neighborhood outreach will follow. Developers told the committee they expect to tweak building layouts after hearing from city departments and nearby property owners. The proposal arrives as suburban multifamily building continues to ramp up, part of a broader wave that industry watchers say is reshaping housing supply in the western Chicago suburbs, REJournals.
