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📸 Credit: City of St. Charles meeting agenda packet
St. Charles officials will get a first look on Monday at a new feasibility study exploring redevelopment options for a prominent downtown riverfront property — the former police station site at the corner of Riverside Avenue and State Avenue.
The site — which has been vacant since the new $24.6 million station opened in 2019 — occupies a key stretch of the east bank of the Fox River. Planners describe it as a focal point linking the recreational open space of Pottawatomie Park to the north with Main Street, City Hall, and the historic downtown to the south.
City staff aim to present the study as an informational overview, outlining site constraints and possible redevelopment frameworks, noting that no specific land use or development recommendations are being proposed.
This comes after officials rejected several large-scale redevelopment proposals in 2022 amid concerns about height and density.
The presentation’s main goal is to set the stage for a public engagement process that will gather community input before any direction is determined for the future of the riverfront property.
Development scenarios
As part of the study, consultants examined multiple options for the property while considering market feasibility, public access, and long-term community benefit. The study identifies several possible directions:
Adaptive reuse: The report makes this option seem unlikely, but suggestions included an arts center or community center.
Programmed open space: This could include a public plaza, outdoor performance venue, and vendor shops, but would likely need to be funded by the city.
Entertainment or food/beverage business: A 5,000-square-foot establishment with a riverfront patio could be paired with an event space.
Townhome: A lower-scale townhome development appears doable, if not as inspiring as some of the other options.
Hotel: Visitors would be able to enjoy nearby parks in close proximity to the downtown area, plus a riverfront restaurant. Further market analysis would be needed first.
Mixed use: A combination of residential, office, retail, or other community amenities. The 1st Street Redevelopment projects just to the south of the site are good examples.
Multifamily residential: Given the downtown location along the river, the consultants viewed multifamily residential as an appropriate and easily accommodated use.
Each scenario includes detailed diagrams exploring building footprints, parking layouts, and trail extensions to ensure the riverfront remains accessible and visually cohesive with nearby landmarks.
Connecting the riverfront
Just north of the property sits the Great Western Trail Bridge, a key regional trail crossing that draws cyclists and pedestrians into the downtown.
Consultants highlighted how thoughtful redevelopment could extend that activity southward and encourage visitors to linger, shop, or visit downtown restaurants while enjoying river views and public gathering spaces.
Demolition and site readiness
The existing police station structure, built in the 1960s and expanded over the decades, presents both an opportunity and a challenge. The study notes that selective demolition or full removal would likely be required to prepare the site for new construction and to meet modern floodplain and accessibility standards.
Environmental and utility assessments would need to precede any demolition activity.
Recommendations and next steps
The report recommends that the city continue community engagement and refine the design concepts before issuing a formal RFP to developers. It also suggests updating infrastructure assessments and conducting a floodplain analysis to ensure long-term resiliency.
In the agenda memo, officials emphasize that Monday’s presentation is informational only (no votes will be taken) but that the study provides a framework for how one of downtown’s most visible parcels could evolve in the years ahead.
The Planning & Development Committee meets at 7PM on Monday, October 13, in the City Council Chambers.
View the full report here beginning on page 175 of the meeting agenda packet.
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