City Council members again delay vote on apartment and senior living complex in Rockford

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — City Council members have again delayed a vote on a developer’s proposal to build 240 apartments and a 136-unit senior care facility on a vacant plot of land along Garrett Lane near Perryville Road.

The vote was delayed at the request of Alderman Tim Durkee, who was at a funeral and couldn’t attend Monday’s meeting. Durkee represents the 1st Ward, where the development is proposed. The proposal was previously delayed on July 8. It would now come back before the council on Aug. 5.

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Supporters argued the development would add to the city’s property tax base while providing more living options to a city that has seen little single-family and multifamily home construction in recent years. Opponents said the development is too dense to safely coincide with the nearby neighborhood, and it would cause traffic congestion while damaging the value of property in the area.

The plan from developer Rockford Senior Campus calls for four, three-story structures to be built on 11 of the 19 acres north of Target, Home Depot and a residential neighborhood.

Each building would have 60 units with underground parking. A clubhouse with a pool would be in the middle of the development with additional parking around it.

The apartment complex would include studio, two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments open to all ages at market rates. Rents are expected to be approximately $2,500, the developer previously said.

A senior living facility operated by New Perspective Senior Living would be built in a second phase of construction on the remaining 7 acres. It would include 98 assisted living or independent living apartments and 38 units for people who require memory care for support with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.

The land is in the city’s C-1 zoning district, which does not allow for this type of residential development. City Council members must approve a special-use permit for it to go forward.

The city’s Code & Regulation Committee had voted 4-1 on June 24 in support of the development.

Developers presented a similar plan three years ago, and they have returned with a tweaked proposal after the previous proposal wasn’t approved.

The new plans drew immediate pushback from residents in neighboring houses, as well as from residents in the nearby Bello Reserve subdivision. Durkee has also been a vocal critic of the project.

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