Proposal to bring 30 apartments to former Rockford recover center faces pushback from neighbors

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A proposal to bring 30 apartments to a former addiction recovery dormitory on the east side near Lino’s is facing pushback from some of the residents who have lived in the neighborhood the longest.

For Lake County-area developer MKES Investments LLC, redeveloping the property at 310 Arnold Ave. into small apartments is the best way to reactivate the space after more than three years of vacancy to address local housing needs.

Opponents, including nearby residents and the alderman who represents the ward, say the development is too dense for the area. They argue it will create issues with parking and traffic congestion, among other concerns about safety and the quality of the proposed development.

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The building was last home to the women’s dormitory for Reformers Unanimous, a Christian-based addiction recovery group. MKES Investments plans to renovate the space to create 483-square-foot apartment units. They would rent for approximately $700 to $900 with utilities included and a property manager would live on site.

Arnold Isakhanian of MKES Investments said the goal is to provide apartments at an attainable price point. He said potential tenants include nurses going through residency programs at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center, which is on the opposite side of East State Street from the proposed apartment complex.

“Not everybody can afford a 3,000-square-foot single-family house with a white picket fence,” Isakhanian said. “We’re not looking for affordable housing, we’re looking for attainable housing. Something that people can afford this day and age with rising rents.”

The development requires approval of a special-use permit by City Council because it has too many units for the existing parking. MKES wants the OK to move ahead with 39 parking spaces instead of the 45 that are required under the zoning for the area.

Deb Rusk, who has lived in the area for 51 years, said that leaves no parking for visitors if some units have multiple occupants and cars. The front of the property has no on-street parking because of a dedicated bike lane. She said that congestion is just part of the problem. She also expects additional traffic with cars cutting through her neighborhood streets in order to avoid the red light at Arnold and East State.

“I’m just afraid that somebody is going to end up getting hurt or worse,” she said.

Rusk was one of two long-term residents in the area who spoke against the proposal Tuesday night when it was heard by the Zoning Board of Appeals. She said the neighborhood has already seen issues with safety in the last five or so years and she fears this project could exacerbate that if it’s not a high-quality development.

The Zoning Board of Appeals decided to delay its vote for one month to provide the developer time to answer questions raised by opponents of the measure.

Some of those questions were raised by Charlie Schweinler of Lino’s, who asked about the developer’s track record and long-term commitment to the property. He also raised questions about a maintenance management program and how the developer will ensure the property won’t fall into disrepair, as he said residents have seen at other nearby apartment complexes.

Alderman Mark Bonne, who spoke against the proposal at ZBA, said he didn’t see anything in the proposal to suggest it would be a quality affordable development.

“I can see a need for units like that, particularly for seniors on a fixed income,” Bonne said. “What we don’t need is to add to the concentration that we have in the 14th Ward hugging the East State Street corridor of low-income, absentee landlord developments.”

Bonne noted that the area is in a tax-increment finance district, which means development incentives could be available. He suggested MKES Investments tap into those funds to make a smaller, less dense and higher-quality apartment complex.

“Something that’s going to enhance the neighborhood and not drag it down, or at least relieve everyone of the fear that it’s going to drag it down,” Bonne said.

Isakhanian said his company considered several developments before deciding on this renovation. In the meantime, the property has sat vacant, forcing them to contend at times with squatters and illegal dumping. His said this project, the company’s first development in Rockford, will put a stop to the issues that come with vacancy.

“Despite all the fears and skepticism, this is a good thing for this property,” he said. “We’re not a corporate developer, where we don’t care or this is just another project. We’re a family-based firm.”

The city’s Planning and Zoning staff recommended approval of the development, saying its an adaptive reuse that addresses the need for more affordable rental units.

“We think this is one of these adaptive reuses for buildings that are just going to sit vacant, and who knows what else could happen in some of these buildings in Rockford,” said Scott Capovilla, the city’s planning and zoning manager. “I’d like to see more adaptive use of projects like this throughout the city. We need housing and we need development.”

Isakhanian chatted with two neighborhood residents, Bonne and Schweinler outside of the council chambers Tuesday night. He said he plans to answer the ZBA’s questions in hopes of gaining approval next month.

“I genuinely believe this is the best way forward for that property,” Isakhanian said. “I was surprised by the backlash, but I’ll be back.”

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas