The lead developer of a proposed new subdivision says the west Normal location is a “beautiful site” in part because it’s infill development – making it less costly to build out the needed infrastructure. But it’s also required the plan to change in hopes of appeasing residents living in nearby neighborhoods.
The 72-acre Infiniti Pointe subdivision will go before the Normal Town Council during Monday’s 7 p.m. meeting for a series of votes. The subdivision near Hovey Avenue at Parkside Road can fit about 120 single-family homes, 75 to 80 duplex-style homes, and about 250 apartment units. Its detention basin would double as a fishing pond circled by a walking trail. Connect Transit’s Lime route serves the area already. The developer plans to build wider 10-foot sidewalks along the subdivision’s perimeter to set up a future connection to Constitution Trail.
Developer Krishna Balakrishnan of Bloomington said they were attracted to the site because it's infill development (though it requires annexation) and because of its proximity to the Rivian plant, interstates, and Illinois State University campus.
“(With infill) the town or the developer doesn’t have to spend money on infrastructure, on getting utilities – water, sewer, storm sewer, even gas and electric in some cases,” Balakrishnan said. “Infill developments are much cleaner and faster as well, because we’re using the existing infrastructure in place. Infill developments are definitely cost-effective.”
But by its nature, infill development puts that new construction in close proximity to existing neighborhoods. Infiniti Pointe has generated worry from some neighbors, including those who spoke at a Normal Planning Commission meeting Jan. 5 about their concerns related to high density housing, traffic safety, and floodwater management.
Balakrishnan said they’ve met with neighbors and have taken steps to address their concerns.
Two streets (Colchester and Tewksbury drives) that previously connected through to the neighborhood just northeast of Infiniti Pointe no longer do so, according to the latest project map reviewed by WGLT. Lot sizes on the perimeter of Infiniti Pointe would generally match the size of the existing homes nearby. And the higher density housing (the apartments) are generally pushed to the west – toward the interstate, away from existing homes – and the south, where businesses already line the south side of Hovey Avenue.
“We didn’t want to disrupt the existing neighbors because we do understand that most of them grew up without a backyard neighbor, especially the homes connecting just to our subdivision. We want to be very cognizant of that fact,” Balakrishnan said.
Balakrishnan said he plans to be involved in some of the building on Infiniti Pointe’s 231 lots, although many lots would be sold to others who hire their own builders. That makes projecting average price points for homes and rents difficult, he said. Homes would ideally stay in the upper $300,000 to lower $400,000 range, which is a “good price point for the market,” he said.
As for average rents for the apartment buildings: “We can’t build anything cheaper these days, so that’s going to determine quite a bit of it. Closer to $1,000 a unit is what I would think – $1,100 or $1,200, depending on single or double-bedroom units. That’s at least what we’re at least thinking at this point. If it’s less, we’ll be happy about it, but there are a lot of unknowns and things to be determined.”
Balakrishnan, who grew up in southern India, said the names of the new streets in the subdivision also have a special meaning – with many taken from towns in India. That includes Yogi Drive, Arunai Circle, Kural Drive, Rusk Drive, Nadiad Drive, Thamizh Drive and Madras Drive.
“There’s no science to it, so it’s basically what everybody wants in the development group,” Balakrishnan said. “We talk so much about diversity in this town, so we thought we’ll bring a bit more diversity to the street names. A lot of the street names are from towns in India.”
Balakrishnan owns and manages the Parke Regency Hotel on Bloomington’s east side. He did theVillas at Woodbine development in east Bloomington, near his hotel, that is now expanding with another 15 single-family homes. He’s also owned apartments for the past decade or so.
“This one (Infiniti Pointe) is much larger than the scale we’ve done before, but we’re confident because we have a good team in place to take us through the process. And at the end of the day, that’s what matters,” he said.
