A developer's plan to build hundreds of homes next to Oswego East High School just got noticeably smaller, and village trustees seem to like what they're seeing so far. Silverthorne Homebuilders' revised concept for the Lodi Grove subdivision now calls for 183 single-family homes and 232 townhome units, down from an earlier proposal of 182 single-family homes and 295 townhome units. Trustees did not take a formal vote on the concept because the project remains in its early planning stage, but the reaction at the table was largely positive.
The revised numbers add up to 62 fewer units than the original plan, a 13% decrease, according to Shaw Local. Density on the roughly 102-acre parcel dropped from 4.68 residential units per acre in the previous concept to 4.07 in the new one. The project now also includes about 9.3 acres of open space, along with 80 age-targeted courtyard homes that make up just under 20% of the development.
The site itself sits on unincorporated land currently zoned for agriculture, immediately east of the Churchill Club subdivision. Reports have differed slightly on exactly how close the project sits to Oswego East High School — Shaw Local's November coverage of the trustee discussion put it at approximately 340 feet west of the school, while an earlier Shaw Local report on the Planning and Zoning Commission's recommendation described the distance as about 300 feet.
Commission Already Signed Off, With One Condition
Before reaching the Village Board, the revised concept went through Oswego's Planning and Zoning Commission, which recommended approval on Oct. 8. Commissioners attached a stipulation to that recommendation: the developer must add a southern access point connecting the development to Wolfs Crossing Road, the report notes.
That access condition speaks to a traffic concern residents have raised about the broader area. Because Ogden Falls Boulevard does not connect south to Wolfs Crossing Road, residents have said drivers speed from Yoakum Boulevard along Bluegrass Parkway just to reach Fifth Street and Wolfs Crossing, according to the same report. Paul DeKruiff, representing the developer, said the Lodi Grove proposal would help address that traffic issue.
DeKruiff also told trustees the proposal fits the village's comprehensive plan, and argued the mix of townhouses and courtyard homes gives Oswego residents diverse housing options, the outlet's report states.
Trustees Push for More Greenery Along Wolfs Crossing
Village Trustee Karin McCarthy-Lange struck an appreciative but cautious tone, telling the developer, “I really appreciate the changes you've made from the initial concept.” Even so, she raised concerns about the sheer number of buildings facing Wolfs Crossing Road, describing them as too dense and wall-like in their current layout.
DeKruiff responded that Silverthorne Homebuilders could consider adding more landscaping and trees to soften that stretch. Oswego Village President Ryan Kauffman weighed in as well, saying additional trees along the corridor would likely receive unanimous support from the board.
The earlier concept, presented in September, had arranged single-family homes across the northern two-thirds of the property with townhomes concentrated to the south, according to the Chicago Tribune. That version called for 477 total units before commissioners voted unanimously to send density, private-street and road-configuration concerns back to the developer — concerns that ultimately helped shape the smaller, 415-unit plan trustees reviewed this month.
Wolfs Crossing Already Slated for Upgrades Nearby
The Wolfs Crossing corridor is no stranger to construction tied to new housing growth. The Village of Oswego has outlined a third improvement segment at the Wolfs Crossing and Roth Road/Oswego East High School entrance, with construction anticipated to start as early as this year. That segment is tied to the separate Sonoma Trails development, whose builder, DR Horton, is set to fund a majority of the construction costs there.
Silverthorne Homebuilders is no stranger to Oswego either. The company's Pine Ridge Club project, its second housing development in the village, is planned west of the intersection of Mill and Orchard roads on Oswego's west side, with 31 ranch villa homes in its first phase and 82 conventional two-story rear-load townhouses planned for its second phase.
As for Lodi Grove's name, it nods to local history: Oswego was originally called Lodi when the village was first being settled in the 1830s, before the community changed its name to Oswego in July 1838 after discovering another Illinois town had already claimed the Lodi name. With the concept plan now favorably received but not formally approved, the project's next steps through the village's review process remain to be seen.
