Village to Pursue Senior Housing Study in Janes Avenue TIF District

The Woodridge Village Board will use a consultant to help determine if there is a need for senior housing in the Janes Avenue Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District.

Board members voted 5-1 Thursday night in favor of using the Evanston-based firm Valerie S. Kretchmer and Associates, Inc. to evaluate both existing and future senior housing needs within Woodridge and the surrounding market area.

Trustee Greg Abbott cast the lone vote against the proposal.

Michael Mays, director of community development, said the village last evaluated the need for senior housing in 2008.

“That was before the recession was in full swing,” he said. “Because of the period of time and changing economy it's appropriate to revisit this before we seek feedback from the village board.”

The Janes Avenue Tax Increment Financing District includes Janes Plaza, the Janes Avenue soccer fields, the 83rd Street Plaza, the former J&L Fasteners Express building, the Waterbury Complex, Dove's Landing Subdivision and Echo Point Park.

Abbott said before village officials undertake the senior housing study, with a price tag not to exceed $15,000, they should wait to see how the Pine Ridge development at 8055 Janes Avenue plays out.

In January the village purchased part of the Pine Ridge condominium property to turn it into senior housing, under an agreement with the owner to turn the remaining apartments into 123 condos.

“We have an investment in Pine Ridge right now and we don’t know if it’s going to be successful or empty,” he said. “[The study] doesn’t seem like money well-spent.”

Jack Knight, management analyst for the village of Woodridge, said the study would help Woodridge village look at the marketability of senior housing within the TIF district.

“[Senior housing] is something that the community has expressed a desire for,” he said. “And it’s something our community development department has been working on to address and foster.

"A lot of our residents have expressed they have been in Woodridge a number of years and want to stay here so they would like to see more availability within in the village itself.”