As Fox Lake looks to its future, two residential developments expected to begin construction this year mark major steps for the village which has seen minimal development in recent years. Jodi Luka, the village’s community and economic development director, talked about the upcoming projects; one a series of townhomes, the other an apartment complex. The townhomes development will include 18 luxury units, six of them waterfront, split between three buildings. Luka said the project was created in 2007 before the housing market crash, but only one building was ever completed. It was brought back to life in December of 2023, and she said the village is hoping construction begins as soon as weather permits this year. The larger of the two projects is a 154-unit, market-rate apartment complex, to be built on a former commercial property that a village study found would be better suited for residential development, Luka said. Details are still being worked out, she said, but the complex will be a significant departure from the village’s previous direction as development hasn’t occurred in Fox Lake for “quite a long time.” As an older community, Fox Lake was largely built out in the Prohibition era and the years that followed, so it has an older housing stock. It lacks developments that can attract young professionals and provide housing for existing residents looking to downsize, Luka said. “We have an aging population, compared to Lake County in general. As our population ages, we’d love to see them age in place,” she said. Luka expects to have shovels in the ground in the spring, and the project is expected to take about 18 months, although she said the developer will likely begin leasing apartments out while construction is ongoing. “We’re thrilled to see it,” Luka said. “We know Lake County has such a high need of housing, especially this type. This will bring a new demographic to the village, as well as allow some folks to age in place.” The two developments coincide with the village’s work on its new comprehensive plan, as it decides what it will look like in the coming years. Luka said the Village Board has supported the housing developments, which she described as “investments” in the village’s future economic development. New housing will bring residents to “breathe life into our business community, especially our small business community,” and grow the reputation of the village in the area, she said. The housing developments will also mesh with the recently completed, multi-million-dollar lakefront project, Luka said, which includes an outdoor amphitheater for concerts, a swimming beach and other public amenities that will help generate foot traffic and create “new economic life.” “I think it shows the village right now has been fortunate to support really big investments into our economic development,” Luka said. “The village of Fox Lake is the place to be.”