Arlington Heights trustees ‘all in’

A conceptual site plan for the Chicago Bears’ proposed redevelopment for a stadium and a residential and entertainment district in Arlington Heights got a mixed reception from village trustees meeting as the Village Board Committee of the Whole Monday night.

The Bears publicly presented a project plan last month that would include a stadium with a retractable roof and an adjoining district with residences, entertainment venues and other amenities. The team signed a $197.2 million purchase agreement to buy the former Arlington Park International Racecourse last fall.

Trustees at the Committee of the Whole meeting were concerned about the density of the proposed transit-oriented development, why there was not yet a stadium rendering available and about whether the proposed development would hurt Arlington Heights’ current downtown area.

Trustee Jim Tinaglia told the team’s representatives that he considered himself one of the village’s biggest cheerleaders for bringing the team to the area. But, he said, the plans presented to the committee fell far short of his expectations.

Tinaglia said the residential and commercial development the team was proposing alongside the stadium wasn’t a fit for what the village needed, particularly not with an already healthy downtown area.

“I am all in on getting this done for this redevelopment agreement, but I can’t buy into this site plan,” he said. “I can’t buy into what it means and how detrimental I think it will be for our businesses downtown.”

And like Tinaglia, Trustee John Scaletta was concerned about the impact the kind of development being proposed could have on the village’s current downtown.

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“We want to keep our downtown and what we don’t want to do is create downtown part two,” he said.

However, the committee did advance a pre-development agreement outlining a road map for the redevelopment process that is expected to be considered by the regular Village Board at its meeting next month. The COTW also expressed a willingness to work in good faith with the football team.

In a presentation that began the meeting, team representatives walked the board through a concept for the 326-acre site that will, according to the pre-development agreement, necessitate the demolition of the existing structures on the land. They made a similar presentation last month at Hersey High School, which drew fans and skeptics alike to hear about the team’s proposal for the now-shuttered racecourse.

Planners emphasized the multi-use aspect of the residential and commercial district, which they envision as a transit-oriented development featuring hotels, stores, a sportsbook facility and potential Hall of Fame, space for performances and civic events, restaurants, parks and housing.

While the Bears have committed to paying for the stadiumout of its own coffers, the team has stated they plan to seek public funding for some portions of the development, which the pre-development agreement also recognizes.

The question of whether taxpayers will foot some of the bill for the proposed project has taken center stage throughout the early phase of the village’s discussions with the team.

Village Manager Randy Recklaus said in order to provide public money for the project, “the village still has to realize that fiscal benefit” after new costs are taken into account.

However, “this agreement does not constitute any kind of agreement or obligation in any way for the village to provide or promote any public financing,” Recklaus said.

And while the question of public financing for the development has come under intense scrutiny so far, trustees spent most of their attention on the plans themselves – from building density to parking spots to train platforms.

Meeting as the Committee of the Whole, trustees were not set to make any binding votes or commitments Monday night.

Tinaglia asked why the team wasn’t proposing a more robust entertainment district to complement the stadium that will take up about a third of the overall proposed development.

“I want to see what the stadium is going to look like,” he said. “I want to see why it’s so special and why we should have it here.”

Mayor Thomas Hayes disagreed with Tinaglia’s complaints.

“We’re here to look at all 326 acres,” he said, adding that he could “certainly understand” why there wasn’t yet a public stadium rendering.

Scaletta also expressed concerns about the mixed-use district alongside the stadium. His main concerns were the housing plans and the transit capacity of the development.

He was surprised to hear the team wasn’t proposing a second Metra stop in the area, he said, and asked if anyone presenting remembered when Arlington Park hosted the Breeder’s Cup in 2002.

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The commuter train traffic to the event had been so heavy that trains bringing fans to the racecourse backed all the way up on the tracks until they stopped traffic on Wilke Road, he said.

Representatives from the Bears said they weren’t considering an additional Metra stop, but making improvements to the existing station.

Scaletta also objected to the density of the proposed residential district.

“I’m sure the engineering department will do their work, and I’m sure that your consultants will do their homework when it comes to making sure fire trucks and everything else can get through there,” he said. “But it just looks so dense.”

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Scaletta granted that trustees were viewing tiny images and that the property was very large, but he was concerned anyway: “That’s an awful lot on that property,” he said.

Despite criticisms of the plan, trustees repeatedly said they were enthusiastic about the prospect of bringing the team to the village from their current home at Chicago’s Soldier Field.

“This is our opportunity to share with you our excitement and our concerns that we’re hearing from the community,” said Trustee Mary Beth Canty .

The village Plan Commission will meet Wednesday to consider a new zoning district for the site should the purchase and development move forward. And the full Village Board is expected to officially vote on the pre-development agreement at its Nov. 7 meeting.