Planning Programs and Projects

The study was completed in November 2006. In 2010, the Village was awarded $900,000 through the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) for streetscape enhancements to Ardmore Avenue.

Additionally, the Village was chosen as part of the 2012 RTA Community Planning Program to update their zoning regulations in their TOD study area. New zoning districts were created through this project and the Village adopted the new regulations on July 8, 2013. The new TOD area zoning regulations can be found here. As a follow-up in 2013, the RTA worked with ULI to convene a panel of development experts to provide guidance and advice to the Village on ways to attract development in the TOD area.

In July 2021, the Village Board voted to approve a proposed $120 million mixed-use apartment building northwest of the Villa Park Metra station. The seven-story, 348-unit complex is to be located on 1.69 acres of a block bounded by East Vermont Street on the north, North Beverly Avenue on the east, West Terrace Street to the south and North Ardmore Avenue to the west and will feature first floor retail space. The developer broke ground on the project in 2022.

The Village is exploring ways to incentivize development around the Metra station as well as near Governors State University. Currently the Village is working on various road improvement projects, especially improving Stuenkel Road with new pavement and a 10' multi-use path connecting GSU to Metra. IDOT constructed a new interchange at I-57 and Stuenkel Road which improves road access to GSU and the Village. Governors State University transitioned to a 4-year college in the Fall of 2014, which will bring an estimated 12,000 students to the area each year. A 3-phase, 10-building student housing project called Prairie Place is currently being constructed on campus to provide on-site housing. With this new housing comes the anticipated need for retail/commercial food opportunities. In advance of the University's expansion, the Village worked with the RTA to convene an RTA/ULI Developer Discussion Panel to solicit guidance and advice on ways to attract investment in the TOD area and near campus. This panel convened in March 2014. A summary of the discussion can be found in the Related Reports section below. 

In early 2015, the RTA applied for CMAQ funds on behalf of the Village, via the RTA's Access to Transit Improvement Program, for pedestrian improvements along Pace Route 367, which connects to the Metra station and Governors State University. The project was chosen for CMAQ funding in fall of 2015 as part of the RTA's combined application.

In 2020, the RTA awarded University Park grant funds to sponsor an update to the TOD Plan. The University Park TOD Plan Update was completed in early 2023 and adopted by the Village Board in February 2023. More information can be found at the following link: https://rtams.org/projects/planning/2994.

The University Park TOD Plan was completed and adopted by the Village Board in February 2023. The final report can be found under Related Reports.

The Village of University Park was awarded a follow up Community Planning project to build on the TOD Plan Update. The RTA is working with the Village on the University Park Special Financing District Study to evaluate funding mechanisms for the TOD site in University Park.

The project contract has been awarded to Transystems. A steering committee kickoff meeting was held in April. Work continues on existing conditions and background data analysis.

Project completed.

Project is complete