A vacant parking lot steps from the Route 59 Metra station is one vote away from becoming Naperville's newest apartment building.

Naperville's Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously endorsed Weston Ridge Apartments on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, sending the 65-unit "micro-unit" project to City Council for final approval. The four-story building would rise at 540 Weston Ridge Drive, a 1.5-acre former commuter lot north of the station and east of an industrial stretch that includes a state vehicle emissions testing facility.

The endorsement came without a single letter of opposition or public comment at the hearing.

What's planned

The one-bedroom units would range from 506 to 640 square feet, according to petition documents reported by the Chicago Tribune. Eleven ground-floor apartments would have private outdoor entrances. The site plan calls for 73 parking spots and a red-brick-and-gray-panel exterior inspired by the neighboring industrial buildings.

Project attorney Caitlin Csuk, representing petitioner 540 Weston Ridge, told commissioners the site is well-positioned near transit, citing proximity to Metra and two Pace bus stops on Route 59 and North Aurora Road. The developer expects the apartments to attract young workers, commuters, empty-nesters and seniors.

Why it needs council approval

City code allows just 25 units and a maximum height of 43 feet on a lot that size. The developer is requesting 65 units (160% above the cap), a building height of 47 feet and a wall sign. The project also requires a major change to a planned unit development approved for the Railway Plaza area in 1998.

Sara Kopinski of the city's planning services team said staff supports the variances, telling commissioners the conversion would support housing diversity, affordability, walkability and resident proximity to transit, goals identified in Naperville's land-use master plan.

Housing costs were flagged as a lagging metric in a national livability survey of Naperville published the same day.

Traffic and parking

Csuk said the building would generate an estimated 19 new vehicle trips during peak hours, less traffic than the lot produced when it was fully used for commuter parking before the COVID-19 pandemic. Parking is set at one spot per unit plus eight guest spaces.

Commissioner reaction

Commissioner Mark Wright captured the panel's tone: "I absolutely love this project. I love where it is. I love the way that the project looks. I'm excited about the attainable aspect. I just want to make sure that the developer understands how important that is, and I hope that attainable price point carries through the whole project and doesn't get twisted into something else."

No City Council hearing date has been scheduled. The project requires council approval before construction can begin.