City Council rejects proposal to build 180 housing units in east Rockford

September 2, 2025|By Kevin Haas|In Rock River Current, 815 News, Local, Rockford, Trending, Business/development, Real estate, News

A new residential development includes duplexes and fourplex units near Mid-American and Fincham drives, shown on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in east Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Aldermen have rejected a plan to bring up to 180 living units to the city’s east side through a combination of duplexes and four-unit buildings.

The development, put forward by real estate investor Luke Salamone with backing from NBA star Fred Van Vleet, promised 34 single-story duplexes totaling 68 units, 30 two-story duplexes with 60 units and 13 four-unit buildings with 52 units along Fincham Drive, White Chapel Lane, Mill Road and Highgrove Place.

City Council members voted 9-5 Tuesday against the proposal, with alderman Tim Durkee, Gabrielle Torina, Gina Meeks, Aprel Prunty and Jaime Salgado voting in favor.

The vote came with little discussion.

Alderman Jonathan Logemann, who ultimately voted no, asked interim Fire Chief Brian Carlson about the potential effect of the development on the Fire Department. Carlson said any large development has the potential to increase call volume, but it was unclear how significant any increase might be.

Durkee, who represents the 1st Ward where the development is proposed, spoke in favor of the project.

“We have residents who would prefer that to be empty land. That’s never going to happen,” Durkee said. “This almost the perfect type of development for this area. The area is part commercial, and multifamily housing is kind of what appropriate development looks like. It’s almost a buffer between commercial and single-family homes.”

Residents had expressed concerns about increased traffic and the density of the development when it was first brought forward in June. Supporters, including Durkee, said that it would be less traffic than a commercial development would generate — and the land was already zoned for commercial use. Aldermen were being asked to approve a special-use permit so the residential development could be built in a limited commercial zoning district.

The matter first went before aldermen on July 7, but it was delayed as Durkee said he was giving the developer time to work out an agreement with local labor unions. Salamone has said he met with union leaders and, while he supports labor, it wasn’t financially possible for 100% of the work to be done by unions.

“We sort of expected that outcome with there not being any communication through the last few delays,” Salamone told the Rock River Current after the vote Tuesday. “We just expect to keep pushing the ball forward, and keep submitting more possible projects to the city of Rockford until they give us an opportunity to invest in our community.”

One potential move could be to resubmit a scaled back request for the first four parcels to house 10 duplexes, Salamone said.

There are other potential developments off Lyford Road and with a building the developers own in the 300 block of East State Street in downtown, Salamone said.

“We’re not being heard,” he said. “We just wanted to build housing but we’re starting to realize there’s a larger concern with what’s going on within the city of Rockford, and (the lack of) an equal opportunity for everybody to be able to partake and invest in their community.”

After the vote, Meeks called the council’s vote “absolutely despicable.” She made that comment on the council floor during the officers reports portion of the meeting.

“I don’t know what’s going on with this City Council with regards to housing and the need for housing in this community, but the fact that we continuously kind of go down these routes, I don’t quite understand it,” Meeks said.

Torina echoed Meeks sentiment about the vote being “despicable.”

The duplexes and quadplexes were to be rented at competitive market rates. Base rent was expected to be roughly $1,200 for a one-bedroom, one-bathroom duplex with a two-car garage. Those living spaces would have high-end finishes including quartz countertops and tile-finished bathrooms, Salamone said. They would also have had central air, in-unit appliances such as washer-dryer and a yard.