Redevelopment of Pheasant Run property priority for St. Charles City Council candidates

Candidates for the St. Charles City Council are stressing the importance of pushing ahead with the redevelopment of the former Pheasant Run property on the city’s east side.

There are five seats open on the St. Charles City Council. There are 10 alderpersons serving on the City Council, with two alderpersons representing each ward.

There is a three-person race for the open 1st Ward seat on the City Council with Jessica Bridges, Tom Galante and Mark Foulkes running for the seat. Foulkes’ grandfather, Walter Foulkes, was on the St. Charles City Council for 22 years.

Second Ward Alderperson Rita Payleitner is not running for reelection. Running for the seat are Arthur Lemke, who lost his seat on the City Council to Ryan Bongard in 2021′s consolidated election, and Jayme Muenz.

John Edward Frank is unopposed for the 3rd Ward seat. Third Ward Alderperson Todd Bancroft is not running for reelection.

In the 4th Ward, incumbent David Pietryla is facing a challenge from Laurel Moad, who lost her election bid in 2021 in a three-person race.

In the 5th Ward, incumbent Ed Bessner is unopposed after challenger Rett Humke dropped out of the race.

The candidates described their plans for the site in an election questionnaire from the Kane County Chronicle.

Pheasant Run Resort closed in March 2020 after a failed attempt to auction the resort. McGrath Honda redeveloped the former Pheasant Run Mega Center adjacent to the property and industrial buildings will be built on the former Pheasant Run Resort golf course.

The St. Charles City Council last month unanimously voted to create a tax increment financing district to spur the redevelopment of the shuttered Pheasant Run Resort. Once a municipality creates a TIF district, its property assessment is frozen and new or increased taxes generated by improvements are used to pay for improvements or other development incentives.

A fire in May 2022 that destroyed large parts of the Pheasant Run Resort increased the need to use a TIF district to spur its redevelopment, according to the TIF redevelopment plan. Two boys pleaded guilty Feb. 8 to felony arson for starting the fire that heavily damaged the resort. Two other boys pleaded guilty to misdemeanor trespassing.

The property is located in the 1st Ward. Galante said the redevelopment of the former Pheasant Run property is a “critical project” for the ward.

“I’m open to attractive, resilient businesses to fit the current zoning,” Galante said in talking about what he would like to see on the land. “Mixed use and development that can use the existing tower would be interesting as well.”

He supports turning the property into a TIF district to spur its redevelopment and the city’s decision to implement a “pay as you go” TIF, with the district only reimbursing a developer for costs incurred. The plan estimates it will cost $42.6 million to redevelop the property, which has been designated for light industrial, retail and commercial use.

St. Charles Economic Development Director Derek Conley said determining redevelopment costs is difficult.

“The $42 million captures all possible costs in the event that they are needed,” Conley said. “However, for any potential project, it is not realistic that the full $42 million would be utilized.”

Conley said just because it’s an estimated redevelopment cost doesn’t mean it’s going to be paid for by the TIF.

“The city is only looking to fill in a financial gap for a potential development,” he said. “A majority of the redevelopment costs will be born by the prospective developer.”

Conley also said the estimated redevelopment costs are for the entire former Pheasant Run property, including the former golf course.

Bridges said she was happy to see McGrath Honda redevelop the former Pheasant Run Mega Center. But she said more needs to be done.

“The former large hotel building, recently destroyed by a fire, is not only an eyesore but also dangerous,” she said. “Since the TIF was approved, we need people on the City Council who will make sure the costs of the TIF are recovered from the redevelopment when the work is completed.”

Foulkes said the former Pheasant Run property is “prime property.”

“I would like to see a business or businesses go in there that are going to be sustainable,” he said. “It is tough to say what would be the overall best idea for that spot. I would not be against another hotel going into that area again. I am looking forward to seeing the ideas that the developers bring before the City Council. I am in favor of the City Council’s decision to turn the property into a tax financing district to help spur development. This may help bring more developers to show their ideas for sustainable businesses.”

Muenz believes the property would be a prime retail, restaurant and entertainment location for interested developers.

“Due to the size of the parcel and the access to Main Street, I would be excited to see proposals from developers seeking to build entertainment destinations for families, large-scale athletic club or hotels,” she said. “I am open to seeing what ideas are brought by developers and how this site can bring new energy to our eastern corridor.”

Lemke thinks the northern portion of the site seems well-positioned to benefit from retail uses because of the proximity of Route 64 and the fact that retail has worked well on the sites immediately to the west, such as the Target store.

“I believe that the theater just west of McGrath could be reopened as such and the owner has finally secured that building to prevent further window breakage,” he said.

Pietryla said a nice mix of commercial and retail space at the former Pheasant Run site would be ideal for the outlots on the property.

“It is important that what is eventually developed at the site attracts people to St. Charles,” he said. “The site is along a major entry corridor to our city. I also do support a ‘pay-as-you-go’ TIF for the site. A bonded TIF would put the city at greater risk of incurring additional debt.”

Moad said that because of the proximity of the property to the DuPage Airport, it can’t be redeveloped for a residential development.

“The best use for it will be some combination of retail and commercial businesses,” she said. “Given the proximity to Charlestowne Mall, it will be interesting to see how a new property owner might work with whomever develops Charlestowne Mall to create a complementary development.”

Schaumburg-based UrbanStreet Group is expected to present its plans for the mall property soon. A plan to redevelop the mall was shelved last year when several St. Charles alderpersons and plan commissioners questioned whether a previous proposal was the best plan for the site.