Homewood Transit-Oriented Development Plan

The Village of Homewood Transit-Oriented Development Plan, funded by the Regional Transportation Authority, puts forth a vision for a revitalized downtown Homewood. With a $14.5 million renovation of the Homewood Metra station underway, the TOD plan comes at an opportune time to engage residents and reimagine downtown Homewood. Homewood’s rich history and neighborhood charm is attracting private and public investment, some already underway. 

The Plan is organized into four sections: Arrival, Navigation, Enjoyment, and Investment. The Plan proposes zoning changes, improvements to viaduct conditions, wayfinding signage, improvements to roads and bicycle lanes, ways to encourage small businesses, storefront appearance recommendations, and lastly, identifies key sites of development that would spur downtown investment. 

Muse Community + Design contracted Latent to imagine mixed-use development for three sites that are currently underutilized surface-parking in downtown Homewood. Working closely with a stakeholder group to provide expertise and insight into the dynamics of downtown and people’s lived experiences, the recommendations record the potential development information for each site. Latent also prepared a compilation of storefront design guidelines that will support the separate Appearance Plan the village is developing to be released in 2024. These guidelines offer a strategic means of building on Homewood’s historic and small-town charm.