What is being built at Forest and Gilbert in downtown Downers Grove?
Forest Pointe is a three-story, 39,000-square-foot mixed-use building under construction at 5114 Forest Avenue in downtown Downers Grove. Plans include a restaurant, retail space, office units, residences, and an underground parking garage. The Village Council approved it in March 2026.
If you have walked past the construction fencing at Forest and Gilbert, you have seen the site of one of the more significant downtown projects to move forward in recent years. Four single-family lots have been combined into one parcel, and what replaces them will change that corner considerably.
What Is Being Built
Forest Pointe is a three-story, 39,000-square-foot mixed-use building at the southwest corner of Forest and Gilbert. According to project documentation from Englewood Construction, the general contractor, the street level covers roughly 13,000 square feet with one restaurant unit, three retail units, and a garage. The second floor holds nine office units across another 13,000 square feet. The third floor is residential, described in the Village ordinance as a six-unit apartment component. Below grade, a 5,454-square-foot basement houses 15 parking stalls, including two accessible spaces, with access from Gilbert Avenue.
That mix is the whole idea. Retail and dining at the sidewalk, offices above, residences on top, all on a site that previously held four houses.
Who Is Behind It and How It Got Approved
The developer is Brownstone Homes, a Downers Grove company that has built custom homes and handled remodeling across the western suburbs since 1995. Englewood Construction, based in Lemont, is the general contractor.
The Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed the case on February 2, 2026 and recommended approval. The Village Council approved it on March 3, designating the property Planned Unit Development #74, rezoning it from Downtown Core to Downtown Core with a Planned Development overlay, and granting a special use. Village staff supported the project as adding housing variety on what they described as a catalyst site, consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.
The Parking Question
Not everyone was enthusiastic. At the Council meeting, resident Scott Richardson said he was not opposed to development on the property but raised concerns about the building's size and scope and what it might mean for downtown parking.
That concern is not unique to this project. Downtown Downers Grove has wrestled with parking capacity for years, and every new mixed-use building adds demand alongside whatever supply it brings. Forest Pointe's 15 underground stalls serve the building but add no meaningful public capacity.
Adding to the short-term crunch: the Village is resurfacing Lot D, on Gilbert just west of Forest, from May through October 2026. That puts construction and lot work on the same block at the same time, which anyone parking downtown this summer has already noticed.
What This Signals About Downtown
Forest Pointe is not happening in isolation. The Village is also moving forward with a $2.9 million renovation of Linda Kunze Plaza beside the Main Street train station, and a separate proposal would convert a six-story office building on 31st Street into 184 apartments.
The trend line is clear: downtown Downers Grove is getting denser, more mixed-use, and more residential. Downtown investment generally supports nearby property values by strengthening walkability and retail activity. The tradeoffs are traffic and parking pressure, which is exactly what residents raised at the Council meeting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Forest Pointe located in Downers Grove?
Forest Pointe is at 5114 Forest Avenue, at the southwest corner of Forest Avenue and Gilbert Avenue in downtown Downers Grove.
When was Forest Pointe approved?
The Village Council approved the necessary ordinances on March 3, 2026, following a Planning and Zoning Commission recommendation on February 2, 2026.
What will Forest Pointe include?
A restaurant, three retail units, nine office units, a residential component, and an underground parking garage with 15 stalls accessed from Gilbert Avenue.
Downtown development changes how a community lives and how buyers see it. If you own a home in Downers Grove and want to understand how projects like this factor into your property's value, call or text Rob Brannigan at 847.609.0570 or visit robbrannigan.com. Rob is a REALTOR® with @properties | Christie's International Real Estate and a lifelong Downers Grove resident who tracks this market closely.
Additional Resources
- 184-Unit Apartment Complex Proposed for 31st Street Office Building
- Downers Grove Housing Market Q2 2026 Update
Written by Rob Brannigan (IL License #475.164040), RENE + SRS. Lifelong Downers Grove resident. Data-driven guidance for sellers and buyers in Downers Grove and surrounding communities.
