The Homer Glen Village Board is considering a townhouse development geared for adults 50 years and older, but officials want to ensure residents of a nearby subdivision have their concerns addressed before moving forward.

Marth Construction wants to build The Villas of Hidden Valley, which would consist of 24 ranch duplexes on about 20 1/2 acres near Hidden Valley Trail and 159th Street. The 48 homes would be about 2,180-square feet with two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a basement. The plan is to market it for residents who want to downsize but still live in Homer Glen.

The property adjacent to 159th Street, a major thoroughfare in the village, is now zoned for commercial development, but the village hasn’t seen any interest from potential businesses in part due to its shallow depth from 159th Street and two existing ponds, village documents said. The commercial property has been for sale since 2012 with no buyers.

Mayor Christina Neitzke-Troike said the duplex development is beautiful and fills a need for residents or empty nesters who would like to downsize but stay within the community.

“They are absolutely stunning,” Neitzke-Troike said of Marth Construction’s developments.

But residents of the Hidden Valley Estates subdivision have voiced concerns to village officials, and they need to be heard, Neitzke-Troike said. Some of the components in the plan may need to be tweaked before the project is approved.Mark Viz, who lives near the proposed subdivision, said the density is too high and the homes look too homogeneous. A “cookie-cutter” look does not fit Homer Glen’s character and would make the village look more like other suburbs, Viz said. The builder might benefit from having a more diverse color palette, he said.

Rezoning the property from commercial to residential is a plus, he said.

“Our position is not anti-development, rather smart development that retains our hometown’s essence and character,” Viz said.

The Village Board must also decide whether to take a land donation for about a 1-acre park or a cash donation the village might use to purchase a lot in or near the Hidden Valley Estates subdivision for a park.

Trustee Rose Reynders, the chair of the board’s Parks and Recreation Committee, said one reason to take the cash donation instead is the proposed location for a park would be too close to 159th Street and not safe for children.

Neitzke-Troike said the proposed subdivision would not put a strain on the school district.

Matthew Klein, an attorney for Marth Construction, said in similar developments, there has only been one family with children. Typically, two people live in each of the duplexes, he said.

“It’s a very popular product,” he said.

Marth Construction is building the Villas of Old Oak at 143rd Street and Golden Oak Drive in Homer Glen, which was approved in 2022. That development of 46 attached ranch villas is also targeted toward those 50 and older who are looking for a maintenance-free lifestyle.

The family-owned builder has built more than 1,000 homes in the area, including in Orland Park, Lemont, Palos Park, Palos Heights and Frankfort, its website said.

If the board approves the project, Marth Construction would like to break ground in the fall, managing partner Jim Marth said.

Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.