Village Board Stalls Avant Gardens Request to Scrap Glass Enclosure

Village of New Lenox Board Meeting | January 12, 2026

Article Summary: The New Lenox Village Board pushed back against a request from the developers of the Avant Gardens event center to replace a planned glass-enclosed patio with an open-air walled courtyard. Trustees expressed concern that the change would negatively impact the neighboring park and insisted the project be completed as originally approved.

Avant Gardens Proposal Key Points:

• The Request: Developers sought to replace an 1,880-square-foot glass-enclosed patio with an open-air patio surrounded by a 6-foot masonry wall.

• Reasoning: The petitioner cited engineering delays regarding the steel structure and glass as the reason for the requested change.

• Board Consensus: Mayor Tim Baldermann and the Board rejected the idea, expressing concerns about noise, smoke, and deviations from the original high-quality design.

• Outcome: The item was stalled without a formal vote, with the Mayor advising the petitioner that the Board is inclined toward an “all or nothing” approach regarding the original enclosure.

The New Lenox Village Board on Monday, January 12, 2026, declined to advance a proposal that would have altered the design of the Avant Gardens event center currently under construction south of Taco Bell on Veterans Parkway.

The developers requested an amendment to their special use permit to change a planned 1,880-square-foot glass-enclosed patio on the east side of the building into an open-air patio. The proposed new design featured a six-foot masonry wall, an outdoor fireplace, and hours of operation restricted to 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Blake Caldwell, representing the petitioner, told the Board that engineering challenges regarding the steel and glass support structure were taking longer than expected. He stated the intent was to open the facility with the open-air patio and potentially enclose it in the future, estimating a year-long timeline for the enclosure.

“We want to keep the building and get it completed and get everything open,” Caldwell said.

Mayor Tim Baldermann and the Board of Trustees expressed significant hesitation. The Mayor noted the project has already been a “long drawn out process” and raised concerns about an open-air venue’s proximity to Firefighters Park.

“I’m not really a huge fan of not having it enclosed, especially because Firefighters Park is what backs up to this,” Trustee Lindsay Scalise said. “There’s going to be people out… drinking, smoking with children right next door to it.”

Trustee David Butterfield questioned the logic of building a masonry wall only to partially demolish it later to install glass, suggesting the request might be a cost-saving measure rather than just an engineering delay.

“I just find it a little odd that we had an enclosed structure and now… the excuse is that we just can’t get it done in time,” Trustee Reiser said. “I feel that that [one year timeline] is even too long.”

Mayor Baldermann noted that the facility is currently restricted to 50% occupancy until specific lighting and structural elements are completed. He emphasized that the Board expects the project to be finished as originally promised.

“I’m not inclined. I would say it’s all or nothing,” Baldermann said. The Board moved to the next agenda item without taking a vote on the request, effectively halting the change.