A former shoe store in the Prairie Market Shopping Center on U.S. Route 34 in Oswego will become a Barnes & Noble bookstore and cafe later this year. (Photo by Jack McCarthy/Chronicle Media)

The Oswego area is gearing up for another growth spurt.

New housing developments and businesses are coming in 2024 while projects previously approved — including a planned cricket stadium on the village’s west side — may start to exhibit noticeable progress.

Two planned subdivisions would bring more than 1,100 new homesites to the Wolf’s Crossing corridor — equal to 10 percent of Oswego’s existing housing stock.

Developer D.R. Horton’s modified plan for 813 homes was among the first items under consideration for village trustees at a Jan. 9 meeting.

“New homes will increase the EAV (equalized assessed valuation) in both the village and other applicable governing jurisdictions,” Oswego planning and zoning staff said in a recent statement. “New residents will drive additional investment, job growth, and sales tax revenue.”

The 227-acre Horton project is part of a series of Wolf’s Crossing corridor developments that have already seen several homesite and apartment construction projects on the village’s east/southeast side. A 345-unit development nearby was approved by the village in December and will feature 219 townhomes and 126 single family homes.

A major roadway widening is also coming. As a prelude, construction was recently completed on the village’s first roundabout intersection at Wolf’s Crossing and Harvey Roads.

“We’re thrilled that the first segment of Wolfs Crossing improvements reopen(ed)  to traffic by the end of the year,” Village President Ryan Kauffman said in a statement. “We appreciate the patience of our residents and area drivers during this vital infrastructure project that will make a huge difference for years to come.”

The Kendall County village grew at an estimated 3.6 percent rate between 2020-22, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Oswego now has an estimated population of at least 35,850, a 154 percent growth rate since 2000.

Late in 2023 the village announced a 16,000-square-foot Barnes & Noble bookstore would open in the Prairie Market Shopping Center on U.S. Route 34, replacing a two-story outlet in downtown Naperville that’s set to close. Site work is scheduled to begin this month.

“This new addition promises to be a haven for literature lovers and a vibrant hub for intellectual engagement,” Kauffman said. “It’s not only a step forward in enhancing the cultural fabric of our town, but will also elevate and diversify our retail offerings.”

Earlier, the village had approved plans for a new Starbucks and Valvoline oil change facility on Orchard Road while a nearby indoor golf dome opened late in the year.  Across town, a fitness center is being constructed at a long-shuttered Dominicks grocery on U.S. Route 34.

Work on a cricket stadium on Orchard Road that could eventually seat 25,000 fans is expect to begin in 2024 following village board backing for a modest start with a field and some infrastructure work.

And plans are proceeding for the arrival of Lake Michigan water, with connections seen within the next four years. A new rate structure to help pay for the transition is now in place.

U.S. Census Bureau estimates 35,850 residents now reside inside village limits. Kendall County had a 4.1 percent population increase in the same period to 137,254 residents.

Oswego currently has 11,738 occupied housing units, according to a July 2023 study by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.

Already one of the fastest growing communities in Illinois, Oswego has recorded a 154 percent growth since 2000, according to data from the web site biggestuscities.com.

Next door Montgomery has also experienced brisk growth. The community, which straddles the Kane and Kendall county lines, now has a population in excess of 21,000.

Montgomery’s expansive new public works facility debuted in 2023 and the new year will feature a Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant and new Starbucks on the village’s far east side.

—Staff writer Kevin Beese contributed to this report.