Suburban TOD Group Tour: Wheeling Town Center

Ian Brown • Jul 30, 2019

Wheeling Town Center TOD Tour

The Suburban TOD Group, led by Ian Brown of Shapiro & Associates, held a tour on July 17 at the Village of Wheeling’s Town Center, a recently completed mixed-use, transit-oriented development (“TOD”) next to the Village’s Metra train station. The project’s developer, Brad Friedman of the Lynmark Group, hosted the event and Village of Wheeling’s Economic Development Director, John Melaniphy, was a guest speaker.

The tour included discussions of the project’s history and features as well as the critical coordination efforts that were necessary to develop Wheeling’s first mixed-use TOD. The Town Center includes 301 apartment units and a public plaza surrounded by entertainment-oriented uses including a movie theater and restaurants. In tandem with a large public park, the Town Center has served as a catalyst development, spurring over 1,000 new residential units in the immediate area which are currently in various stages of planning and/or development.

The Suburban TOD Group tour was attended by over 30 people, some of whom were economic development officials who wanted to to learn about Wheeling Town Center and how similar projects could be accomplished in their own communities

Pillars of TOD

Transit-oriented development involves developing an individual building or planning an entire area around public transit infrastructure such as a Metra train station. Suburban TOD in particular involves the coordination of many aspects of land use including: community outreach, suburban renewal and walkable neighborhoods, economic development, and transportation planning. Demand for TOD has grown significantly in recent years leading to more vibrant, livable, sustainable communities centered on transit including in many suburban Chicago communities such LaGrange, Evanston, Des Plaines and Oak Park.

More on the Suburban TOD Group

The Suburban TOD Group’s membership is comprised of individuals widely seen to be at the top of their fields including planners, elected representatives, transportation experts, developers and government officials. The group, founded by Shapiro & Associates, provides a unique opportunity for a diverse group of professionals from the private and public sector to discuss solutions for making TOD a reality for the many Chicago suburbs seeking to meet the needs of residents. Shapiro & Associates looks forward to more great Suburban TOD Group events soon.


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