May 02--Developers are proposing a new plan for Freedom Plaza that would add a hotel, large-scale conference center and restaurants to Naperville's north side.

Absent from the plan is an Alzheimer's care facility the City Council previously rejected.

The Freedom Plaza development proposed by Indiana-based Lakhany Group Investments, LLC would be constructed on 13.2 acres of vacant land on Abriter Court between Diehl Road, and Interstate 88 and west of Freedom Commons shopping center.

The campus would include a 168-room Embassy Suites hotel with a restaurant and a 13,000-square-foot banquet facility that could hold up to 1,080 people. An event meeting space of that magnitude is not currently available within city limits, according to city staff. There also would be four free-standing restaurants on the property.

In late 2011, City Council members approved a proposal to build a hotel on the site, but refused to re-zone the area to construct a nursing home facility the developer said would bring "medical tourism" to the area.

Russ Whitaker, attorney for the developer, brought a revised plan to the Naperville Planning and Zoning Commission Wednesday and said the new design is a "significant upgrade" from the 2011 plan.

"If you look at the old design here it doesn't invoke the same contemporary feel that you have in the new design," he said.

The Planning and Zoning Commission discussed some of the technical aspects of the plan including routes onto the campus and storm water management. It agreed to recommend a 25-foot sign off I-88 as the developer requested instead of a 20-foot sign city staff had called for.

A proposal by city staff to require construction of the hotel to begin before it would issue building permits for the free-standing restaurants also sparked debate as Whitaker argued there could be different definitions of construction starting and the condition could hinder the developer's ability to get restaurants on board.

The commission ultimately directed the developer to work with the city's legal staff on timing of construction.

No residents testified during the public hearing on the plan and the Freedom Plaza plan won Planning and Zoning Commission approval with a 9-0 vote.

Commissioners thanked the developer for bringing back a revised plan.

"I'm really excited about this development, and I don't say that very often," Commissioner Tim Messer said. "I don't think there's any question this is a significant improvement over the previous proposal."

Commissioner Robert Williams agreed.

"This is absolutely marvelous, fantastic. It's worth staying up for," he said as midnight approached.

It now moves on to the City Council for approval. Whitaker said the developer also plans to ask for a $7.5 million financial incentive. City Council recently approved that amount for a downtown hotel development.

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