Downtown Master Plan: (6) East Bank Opportunity Concept

Editor's Note: On June 27, the city of Geneva held a meeting to unveil the first draft of its . The plan identifies seven site opportunities for development. This series spotlights each opportunity site and says what present structures would be replaced.

Development Concept Overview

The development concept for this opportunity site is intended to improve the area east of the Fox River as more of an extension of Downtown by providing opportunities for new retail, lodging, and residential uses in an attractive setting along the Fox River, along with public space, trails, and riverfront access. Sites along East State Street are shown as new residential development, utilizing the change of grade as a development asset. Each of the individual developments and uses illustrated in this concept can be evaluated independently of one another or in whole, while still achieving an overall improvement to the area.

What's There Now

This is the site of the former Mill Race Inn along the riverbank and Island Park. 

East State Residential

The area along the south side of State Street between Bennett and Crissey is shown as a combination of row houses and multi-family residential. Working with the site’s topography, a rear alley provides access to the rear-loading parking for the row houses with the multi-family building being located on the western portion of the site.

Mill Race Inn & Southwest Corner of State and Bennett

The Mill Race Inn has a long history in Geneva and this concept illustrates a newly redeveloped Mill Race Inn and new retail development on the corner. This redevelopment concept keeps the banquet and restaurant use and provides a layout that makes better use of the river frontage with parking that could support the addition of a lodge or boutique hotel with outdoor dining along the river. New retail development is also shown at the corner. This concept would allow for the development at the corner to serve as an attractive “gateway” into Downtown Geneva.

Bennett Row Houses

New row houses are shown in the concept along this section of Bennett adjacent to the Fox River. The units are shown with rear loading garages to provide an attractive frontage along the street. With the mature trees and the grade change along the river, the garage doors of the units would be screened as viewed from the west bank.

Multi-Family/Lodging/Civic Use Building

This larger building is situated on a site that is currently vacant and essentially void of any trees. The location, grade change, and condition of the site make it a suitable location for multi-family residential, hotel or lodge, or some other civic building. With the mature trees along the river and the building designed to work with the changing grade, such a development could be heavily screened and very attractive as viewed from the west bank.

Open Space, Trails, and Trailhead

With a trailhead public parking lot located south of the larger building, trails and riverfront open space can be easily accessed. Open space and trail connectivity are a primary component of this concept as is the notion of maximizing the riverfront as an accessible community asset. Additional open space could be realized with this concept if certain components, such as the site of the larger multi-family, civic, or hotel building, were instead designated as a park or natural public open space.

SOURCE: City of Geneva Downtown/Station Area Master Plan prepared by Houseal Lavigne Associates