Redevelopment proposal for former Geneva Bottling Works at 302 N. River Lane. To view the proposal visit: https://www.geneva.il.us/1539/302-River-PUD and to read the minutes from the meeting on the proposal from the Geneva Historic Preservation Commission visit: https://www.geneva.il.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02212024-2300
A redevelopment plan submitted to the Geneva Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) on February 21, 2024, by Benchmark Developers, includes a new five-story apartment complex with 114 units fronting the river and fourteen new townhomes facing N. First Street (see rendering above). Redeveloping this furthest northeastern block of the Geneva Historic District, most recently the location of Geneva Bottling Works, would require the demolition of all eight structures on the block according to Anthony Pecoraro of Benchmark Developers. The structures on this city block, bounded by N. First Street, Stevens Street, N. River Lane, and Ford Street, date from 1855 to 1948.
As required by ordinance, the HPC was tasked with reviewing the proposal and making recommendations to the Planning and Zoning Commission which will hold a public hearing on the proposal, likely in early April 2024. The Planning and Zoning Commission requested recommendations from HPC on five issues:
1. How will the historic structures be affected by the proposal?
2. How do the proposed setbacks affect the rest of the historic district?
3. Is the land use compatible with the historic district?
4. Are the buildings’ size, mass, scale, and lot coverage appropriate for the historic district?
5. Does this proposal achieve the city’s objective of higher density and diverse housing types in the downtown area?
BENCHMARK DEVELOPERS’ PROPOSAL
Currently titled “302 N. River Lane PUD,” Benchmark Developers' plan for the former Geneva Bottling Works includes the demolition of all the structures on the block and construction an apartment complex with 114 units plus fourteen townhomes. Pecoraro of the company explained that none of the structures on the block were financially feasible for rehabilitation, mostly due to their dilapidated condition. Furthermore, Pecoraro noted that the structures currently on the block would not accommodate the density of housing the developer needed for the project to be financially viable. Razing these structures, Pecoraro asserted, was of greater value to the city than adaptively reusing them.
For the new construction on the block, the developer carefully reviewed the City of Geneva Downtown/Station Area Master Plan and believed did their best to remain within its framework. The site, identified as “Opportunity Site 2” in the Master Plan, calls for “new multi-family and single-family attached residential development… and the opportunities for increased building height provided by the elevation change between the river and 1st Street.”[1] The apartment complex proposed takes advantage of this elevation change by being five stories near the river and decreasing to four stories. Still, the building height of the apartment complex exceeds what is typically allowed in Geneva by three feet. The lot coverage of the building also exceeds what is typical for downtown Geneva at 83% compared to the maximum typically seen of 70%. The townhomes would be two-story as recommended in the master plan, according to Pecoraro, and would be 7% below the maximum lot coverage.
HPC REACTION
The consensus of the HPC was that the proposal failed to meet the standards for new construction in the historic district laid out in the city’s historic preservation ordinance.[2] According to the commissioners, the proposal did not adequately consider the reuse of at least some of the historic structures on the block. “It looks like the development started from a blank slate” rather than consider options for reusing some of the structures, identified HPC Chairman Paul Zellmer, adding that he would like to see at least some of the worker’s cottages from the mid-nineteenth century on N. First Street saved. The scale of the buildings proposed was also of great concern to the commissioners. Commissioners Lisa McManus and George Stazin agreed that the buildings were large compared to other buildings in downtown Geneva and greater than necessary. Commissioner George Salomon was more direct saying, “The accommodations [you are asking for] are outrageous and unwarranted.”
The commissioners conceded that only about half of the structures on the block retained enough historical significance and/or architectural integrity to be considered to have historic value (see photos below). They felt there would be ways the developer could incorporate these into their project such as moving a couple of the one-and-a-half story worker’s cottages along N. First Street to one corner of the lot and converting the former bottling works warehouse and office space at 302 N. River Lane into apartments or parking space. Pecoraro offered to reuse the brick from the warehouse in their project and display some artifacts from the bottling works in the lobby of the apartment building. To that offer, commissioner Kevin Phillips quipped, “We’re not interested in monuments.”
The commissioners also rejected the developer’s argument that the sizes of the buildings they were proposing for the block were necessary to meet their financial objectives. The strong property values of Geneva meant that the amount of density the developer desired was not necessary according to some of the commissioners. Commissioner Salomon further explained that the HPC has been fairly strict on building heights, lot coverage, and setbacks for other projects and those have all worked out fine for those property owners. “Some give and take is possible,” Commissioner Kevin Phillips said, to which the other commissioners appeared to agree. Overall, the commissioners believed the scale of the buildings needed to shrink and, as Commissioner Lisa McManus pointed out, “Demolishing the whole block is not something the HPC would support.”
RECOMMENDATIONS TO PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
The HPC’s recommendations to the Planning and Zoning Commission included:
1. How will the historic structures be affected by the proposal?
The HPC recommended that at least some of the structures on the block be reused. Furthermore, the HPC recommended that the size, mass, and scale of the buildings be reduced so that they conform more closely to the size, mass, and scale of nearby historic structures and the historic district as a whole. The HPC also recommended changes to the architectural style of the buildings. Commissioner Jewel Jensen bemoaned that “What you are proposing does not come close to” meeting the current historic charm of Geneva.
2. How do the proposed setbacks affect the rest of the historic district?
The HPC strongly opposed the proposed setbacks, noting that the new construction proposed would have a much larger lot coverage than any other structures in the historic district and would therefore negatively impact the historic district.
3. Is the land use compatible with the historic district?
The HPC supported the redevelopment of the block with housing but believed the proposed density was much greater than any other lots in the historic district and therefore unwarranted.
4. Are the buildings’ size, mass, scale, and lot coverage appropriate for the historic district?
The HPC strongly opposed the size, mass, scale, and lot coverage proposed by Benchmark Developers.
5. Does this proposal achieve the city’s objective of higher density and diverse housing types in the downtown area?
The HPC believed that the objectives of the city could be better met with a scaled-down version of the current proposal. Furthermore, the HPC welcomed this redevelopment proposal and encouraged the developer to work with the city to develop a win-win for protecting Geneva’s brand as a historic community and profitability for the developer.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Benchmark Developer’s 302 N. River Lane PUD will next be presented at a public hearing of the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission. The most likely start of this public hearing will be Thursday, April 11, 2024. At the public hearing, the redevelopment proposal from Benchmark Developers will be re-presented (hopefully with some changes as recommended by the HPC) and the public will have ample opportunity to share their views on the proposal.
To remain up to date on this redevelopment of the Geneva Bottling Works, become a member of Preservation Partners of the Fox Valley today!
Block proposed for redevelopment. Note the Chicago and Northwestern Geneva Grape Sugar Industrial Spur Line (1888) that bisects the block and was used by the Geneva Bottling Works.
302 N. River Lane (1948) - Geneva Bottling Works warehouse and office.
305 N. First St. (1855) – William and Sarah Burman House. This house has had minimal alterations. William built this house as well as 301 and 311 N. First St.
327 N. First St (1872) – owned by Lencioni family that started Blue Goose Market in St. Charles.
301 N. First St (1856) – Built by William Burman and rotated 90 degrees in c. 1878.
Thank you for reading! If this story interested, inspired, or informed you, please consider subscribing to our monthly e-newsletter so more of these stories come right to you!
[1] “Downtown/Station Area Master Plan,” City of Geneva, adopted November 12, 2012 / amended November 18, 2013, https://www.geneva.il.us/DocumentCenter/View/186/Downtown_Station-Area_Master_Plan_2013_Amendment?bidId=.
[2] “Design Principles for Historic Landmarks and Historic District Properties,” Geneva, Illinois – Code of Ordinances, 10-6-4-B, https://library.municode.com/il/geneva/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT10BURE_CH6HIPR_10-6-4RESTHIPR.