A DeKalb developer wants to build 26 small, single-story homes on a 5.8-acre lot along the south side of the 500 block of West Dresser Road, directly across from DeKalb High School. The homes would run about 780 square feet each, with one bedroom, one bathroom, space for a study, and a two-car attached garage, priced around $250,000.
Developer Steve Irving pitched the concept, called Cottage Grove, to the DeKalb Planning and Zoning Commission on September 8, according to Shaw Local. The commission took no formal vote on the concept plan, but the outlet reports the project drew early support, including from Third Ward Alderman Tracy Smith. Irving, who has 52 years of experience as a developer, said he modeled Cottage Grove after Symphony Bay in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, where developers sold more than 500 homes within three years.
A Site That's Still Outside City Limits
The Cottage Grove lot currently sits outside DeKalb city limits, meaning the project needs annexation before it can move forward, along with eventual approval from the DeKalb City Council. The land sits opposite DeKalb High School, which opened its current 9-12 campus on Dresser Road in 2011 after construction began in 2009. The school enrolls roughly 2,134 students in grades 9 through 12, according to Niche.
West Dresser Road has been steadily reshaped by institutional growth. In July 2026, the city considered a separate special use permit for a 35-acre public transit facility along the road's north side between Normal Road and North Annie Glidden Road, per the City of DeKalb. That corridor's land-use history stretches back decades — municipal records show the city authorized the sale of the old Dresser Farm at Dresser Road and Annie Glidden Road as far back as March 1970, when the area was still dominated by agriculture.
Zoning Waiver Needed for Higher Density
Cottage Grove's biggest hurdle may be density. DeKalb's Comprehensive Plan caps low-density residential development at between 0 and 4.0 dwelling units per acre, but Irving's 26-home layout works out to 4.4 units per acre — just above the ceiling. The station's report notes that city planner Olson said a waiver could be granted given the project's benefits to the city and Irving's longstanding community work.
Irving told the commission he believes there's a market for the compact, entry-level homes, and said the property's access to utilities appeals to him. The homes would be managed by a homeowners association responsible for maintaining lawns and private roadways. Irving also said Irving Construction would not build anything the company would not live in itself.
A Familiar Name in DeKalb Construction
Irving Construction has a long history building both private housing and public infrastructure across DeKalb. The company built a 40-home development along Lucerne Lane in the 1990s, the 75-unit Fairway Oaks townhome development, and the DeKalb-Pond-Fisk housing development south of Clinton Rosette Middle School, per the same account relayed by Shaw Local.
On the municipal side, the DeKalb City Council awarded Irving Construction a $3,688,000 contract in May 2024 to build the city's fourth fire station at 1130 South Malta Road, aimed at cutting emergency response times in the city's southwest quadrant, according to the City of DeKalb. The Park District also undertook renovations to tennis courts at Hopkins Park. Irving Construction also undertook a $253,973 renovation and expansion of DeKalb Fire Station No. 2 on South Seventh Street, according to the Northern Star.
What Happens Next
Cottage Grove is expected to go before the DeKalb City Council at a later date, and Irving Construction will need to return to the city for final approval before any groundwork begins. Residents wanting to weigh in on future zoning matters can attend Planning and Zoning Commission hearings, which are held at 6 p.m. in the Yusunas Meeting Room at the DeKalb Public Library on Oak Street before recommendations move to the council for a final vote.
The Cottage Grove proposal follows a busy stretch for DeKalb's planning commission, which in June gave preliminary approval to Project Big Lakes, a 186,040-square-foot industrial project in the Park 88 business park. Between that industrial push and now a residential pitch across from the high school, the panel is fielding growth proposals on multiple fronts as the city works through both jobs and housing pressures at once.
