Affluent communities in mostly built-out areas generally focus on redevelopment of smaller parcels of land in their efforts to engender economic development.

The biggest trend in DuPage County is the focus of many communities on the redevelopment of the downtown area, usually with mixed-use developments of residences and retail space in proximity to a train station, according to Josh Grozdin of the county’s Department of Economic Development and Planning.

Most of the county is built out, except for some western areas, he explained.

This kind of redevelopment is encouraged with incentives from local communities such as building façade rebates, sales tax rebates and the creation of Tax Increment Financing (popularly known as “TIF”) districts.

“I am hesitant to mention specific cities and villages,” he said. “ I am speaking generally. I promote the whole county.”

Typical of economic development projects seen in the area’s more affluent communities is the Clarendon Hills project. Called Urban Senior Housing, it will be built there as well as in other suburbs. The Pointe at Clarendon Hills will have 31 apartments in a three-story, 11,000-square-foot building at Walker and Park avenues. Retail space will occupy the first floor.

The Business Ledger previously published an article about the concept which includes Inland Development of Oakbrook and HPD Cambridge of St. Louis, Mo. in construction of similar projects in La Grange, Elmhurst and Lombard.

In another location in Clarendon Hills, a three-story building at 103 S. Prospect will include 10,000 square-feet of retail space on the ground floor and 16 condominiums on the second and third floors.

“More of these types of projects are under discussion. There is a lot of interest. Five years ago there was not a lot of interest,” said Michael Brown, community development director.

As a result, village officials are developing a design review process which will meet the high expectations of the community.

In LaGrange the Urban Senior Living project on the corner of LaGrange Road and Cossitt will have 30 units in the building in addition to first-floor retail. Another approved project is a 96-unit condominium development at Bluff and Elm avenues, according to Patrick Benjamin, the village’s community development director.

Additionally, an application has been filed for the redevelopment of the former site of the Ridgeport YMCA on the corner of Ogden and LaGrange. The proposal, which will be presented to the Planning Commission in July, includes 33,000 square-feet of retail space and a mid-rise multi-family building and potentially townhouses in the back of the property, according to Benjamin.

“We have a lot of construction. One nice part about it is that it is spread out to all parts of the village,” he said. “We started the economic engine with incentive programs a few years ago but now developments are being built without incentives.

“In the situation with LaGrange, it not so much the affluence of the community but its confluence or location near the intersection of two major roads with 40,000 to 50,000 cars a day (Ogden Avenue and LaGrange Road). We are not the same as some other communities in our area.”

Other affluent communities farther northwest like the village of South Barrington have more land to work with but officials there are still looking for economic development that will fit with the concept of the community, which are large lots in a semi-rural atmosphere, according to David Pierce, village administrator.

In keeping with that village’s ambiance, one of the latest projects on 60 acres at the corner of Ill. Rt. 59 and Higgins Road will have 650,000 square-feet of retail space but will be designed as what Pierce described as a “lifestyle center with mid-size to small boutiques as opposed to big box stores. The lifestyle type of project will meet the expectations of the community.”

Another far western community, the Fox River city of St. Charles, also has more land to work with and has attracted a variety of retail and commercial companies. But the highlight in 2006 was the completion of the First Street Redevelopment Project Agreement, said Theresa Fawcett, economic development coordinator.

It will be one of the largest redevelopment projects in the city’s history.

“This project has and will continue to require hard work, careful planning, citizen involvement and a continued commitment to the vision that will define our downtown business district fort the next 100 years,” said Mayor Don DeWitte.