What is happening at Linda Kunze Plaza in Downers Grove?
A $2.9 million renovation of Linda Kunze Plaza at the Main Street Train Station is underway, with construction fencing in place since early July 2026. The redesign adds a fountain, decorative paving, masonry seat walls, new landscaping, gateway signage, and repairs to the existing clock. Work runs through November, and the station stays open throughout.
If you have walked through downtown Downers Grove in the last month, you have seen the fencing at the Main Street Train Station. After two years of design work, the Linda Kunze Plaza renovation is under construction, and it is one of two significant downtown projects happening at the same time.
What Is Being Built
The redesigned plaza will feature new landscaping, decorative paving, masonry seat walls, gateway signage, irrigation improvements, repairs to the existing clock, and a new fountain that serves as the focal point of the space.
The construction scope gives a sense of scale: roughly 8,800 square feet of existing concrete sidewalk removed, about 11,200 square feet of new sidewalk poured, and 93 square yards of asphalt patching, along with curb and gutter replacement, pavement striping, power, and irrigation.
The Village Council awarded the contract to Copenhaver Construction on June 9, 2026 at $2,922,367.98, a figure that includes a 15% contingency. The Village had budgeted $5 million for the work, so the project is tracking well under what was set aside. Construction is scheduled July through November and will be completed in phases. This covers the south side of the tracks. The north side is planned for 2027.
The Project Traces Back to Guiding DG
This did not come out of nowhere. The 2025 Guiding DG Streetscapes plan identified improvements to public space at the Main Street Train Station as a top priority, and the Village budgeted for design work across 2024 and 2025 with construction planned for 2026.
Director of Engineering Scott Vasko presented the proposed design to the Council in January 2026, then returned with an updated version in April after Council feedback. Commissioner Mike Davenport pushed for consistency in the materials used throughout the plaza.
At that January meeting, Jennifer Kunze, daughter of Linda Kunze, spoke in support of the design, thanking everyone who worked on it and saying her family was grateful and that her mother would have been honored. Linda Kunze served as executive director of the Downtown Downers Grove Management Corporation for 20 years before her death in 2018, and she was central to building the downtown this plaza now anchors.
The Second Project Running at the Same Time
The Village is also building five Flexible Amenity Areas throughout the downtown business district, semi-enclosed outdoor structures designed for dining, casual seating, community gatherings, and public art.
That project was not unanimous. The Council approved a $3.6 million contract with Landmark Contractors on April 14, 2026 by a 5 to 2 vote. Commissioners Tammy Sarver and Martin Tully both dissented on cost, noting the original budget contemplated roughly $1.8 million and the final figure came in at double that. Tully said he supported the concept and building all five at once, but not at that price.
Construction began the week of July 6 on the east side of Main Street, at Southeast Burlington, Northeast Curtiss, and Northeast Maple. As of late July, sidewalk had been poured at Curtiss and Main and curb at Maple and Main, with weather causing some delays.
Both projects will also receive public art. The Council approved a contract with Sculpture Milwaukee in April, with the first phase covering Linda Kunze Plaza and three of the flexible amenity areas.
What to Expect While Work Is Happening
The Main Street Train Station remains open to the public throughout construction. The Downtown Downers Grove Market continues to operate in the same general area through September.
Construction is weather dependent and schedules shift. Directly affected businesses and residents received construction notices from the Village in late June.
Why This Matters Beyond the Construction Fence
Downtown Downers Grove is in the middle of the most concentrated period of investment it has seen in years. Between this plaza renovation, the five amenity areas, the 138 apartments going up at 750 Curtiss, Forest Pointe at Forest and Gilbert, and the proposed conversion of the 31st Street office building, the downtown that emerges in 2028 will look meaningfully different from the one that existed in 2024.
For homeowners, a walkable and well-maintained downtown core is one of the more durable drivers of nearby property values. It supports the restaurants and retail on Main Street, and it is a large part of why buyers choose Downers Grove over neighboring suburbs. The tradeoff is a construction season, and this one runs into the fall.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will Linda Kunze Plaza construction be finished?
Construction on the south side of the tracks is scheduled July through November 2026 and will be completed in phases. Improvements to the north side are planned separately for 2027. All schedules are weather dependent.
Is the Main Street Train Station open during construction?
Yes. The Village has confirmed the station remains open to the public throughout the project, and the Downtown Market continues operating in the same general area through September.
Who was Linda Kunze?
Linda Kunze served as executive director of the Downtown Downers Grove Management Corporation for 20 years and helped shape many downtown traditions, including the Friday night car show and the Fine Arts Festival. She died in 2018, and the plaza beside the Main Street Train Station carries her name.
Downtown investment shapes 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.
Additional Resources
- 750 Curtiss: The 138-Unit Building Replacing the Old Village Hall
- Forest Pointe: What's Being Built at Forest and Gilbert
- 184-Unit Apartment Complex Proposed for 31st Street Office Building
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.
