Town Center
History
Channahon Town Center is a master planned development that was originally planned in the early 2000's. As Channahon developed without a true central core, or downtown area, the aim of Channahon Town Center is to provide that central gathering place that will be the heart of the community. The plan focused on a blend of uses including commercial, retail, office, civic, religious, and a mixture of different residential types and densities.
Some homebuilding began, but development was halted due to the Great Recession. Later in the 2010's, interest returned to the area. The St. Elizabeth Residences -a 62+ senior living development- was constructed. St. Elizabeth Dr. was completed, connecting the east and west portions of Town Center. Some of the developed single-family home lots had houses constructed upon them.
In the 2020's the single-family home area was completed and home building continued. Although some homes are still under construction, all of the single-family home sites have now been permitted for new home construction.
In 2022, the Village of Channahon purchased the remaining property across from the Village Hall from the Archdiocese of Joliet. This area is included in a TIF district that was also created in 2022 to improve the area along U.S. Route 6, between Navajo Dr. and the I&M Canal.
Planning
It has been determined that the original master plan that encompassed the area across from the Village Hall is not one that is market appropriate. While the concept of a development with a mixture of uses remains desirable, the layout and scale of the central core of Town Center contained in the master plan was found to be infeasible. In August of 2024, Ginkgo Planning & Design (Ginkgo Planning & Design Website Link) was hired to rework the master plan into one that better reflects the community and the market realities of today.
In February 2025, the Village of Channahon held an open house to reveal the most updated proposed site plan and to allow for feedback, suggestions, questions, and concerns from residents. In April 2025, the newly proposed Town Center site plan was approved by the Village Board. In contrast to the original plans, the 2025 plan is designed to be more market-viable, with the potential for phased development. This updated approach strikes a balance between public investments in the public realm and private development, with a focus on creating a memorable and vibrant destination for Channahon.