Pulte could build new subdivision in Naperville with purchase of 75th Street land

Chicago Tribune

01-07-2025

A 32-acre tract of land being sold to developer Pulte Homes by the DuPage Water Commission could be annexed into Naperville or Woodridge or built out in unincorporated DuPage County, officials say.
The $14 million sale of the property, located on 75th Street between the single-family Cobblebrook Crossing subdivision in Naperville and the Thornberry Woods apartment complex in Woodridge, was approved in June.
Pulte officials told the commission the company expects to build at least 60 homes on the vacant, wooded site, with the purchase contract including a proviso that the developer receive an additional $233,000 from the commission for every lot beyond 60 that it is allowed to build.
The company has not said whether it would be constructing single-family homes, townhomes or apartments, nor has it indicated if it will seek annexation into Naperville or Woodridge or remain unincorporated.
Rob Getz, a vice president of land acquisition for Pulte, said in an email that 'it is way too soon to have any comments yet or answers to' questions about development plans for the site.
Allison Laff, Naperville's deputy director of transportation, engineering and development, said she is unaware of any development plans for the site, which is contiguous to the city.
Woodridge Village Administrator Al Stonitsch said his community has not heard from Pulte either.
'The developer will do their homework,' he said. 'It could be Woodridge, if that's the pathway. They could develop in Woodridge, in Naperville or in unincorporated.'
Asked if Woodridge has a contemplated use or expected density for the property included in the village's comprehensive plan, Stonitsch demurred.
'This is a new twist,' he said. 'In our long-term plans, we always had assumed it to be the water commission's property.'
Stonitsch noted that Pulte has built several developments in Woodridge, including the Rivers Edge multifamily housing project on Route 53, which currently is under construction.
'They've done a good job for us,' Stonitsch said.
Pulte is also responsible for several subdivisions in Naperville, including Naper Commons, with 161 single-family homes and 66 townhomes at Naperville and Warrenville roads, and the Polo Club, which will have 225 single-family homes and 149 townhomes on 119th Street, between Route 59 and Book Road, when built out.
Paul Hoss, DuPage County's planning and zoning administration coordinator, said the county does not know what Pulte plans to do with the site.
The DuPage Water Commission, which delivers Lake Michigan water to 25 county communities, some county-operated water systems and several private utilities, has owned the 37.5-acre parcel on 75th Street since buying it for $1.8 million in 1986. Two 155-foot-tall standpipes, or cylindrical water tanks, were built at the northeast corner and the 5-acre parcel on which they're located will remain under commission ownership.
A reevaluation of the agency's real estate holdings was triggered last year after the commission paid $80 million to buy a 127-acre former golf course in Northbrook for part of a potential new lake water distribution network.
The 75th Street land was appraised at $10.8 million. When the commission sought sales bids, Pulte, a national homebuilder, was the highest at $14 million.
Water commission Chairman Jim Zay said the agency has been discussing the land's sale as early as 2021, when a tornado damaged a large number of trees on the property. Deciding to sell it now was the right call, he said.
'It's in a good school district, and we thought the time was right (to) see if anybody was interested in it,' he said. 'It's costing us maintenance costs, and we just have no long-term outlook of using this property. It makes sense to get rid of it at this time.'