Grand plans for downtown look a bit less grand

Vantreese built such high expectations when he announced his plan (and later became the first major developer to actually follow through), that you kind of expected a big name from outside Aurora to sign up. Again that could still happen, but initial hopes for a Napervilleesque "restaurant district" with such players as Mia Francesca, Hugo's Frog Bar and Catch 35 have been tempered. Perhaps expectations were too great.

From the June 12, 2005 story announcing River Street Plaza:

Vantreese said he hopes to attract locally, regionally and nationally known eateries ranging from ice cream and sandwich shops to upscale "white tablecloth" restaurants.

Each of the restaurants will also include an outdoor seating area, many of which will overlook the Fox River.

"If you put all of this in one place, people are going to flock here," Vantreese said. "And that's going to have a spill-over effect on the rest of the downtown as well."

Notice the focus on who Vantreese's people plan to attract has since changed (at least publicly).

From a story earlier this summer:

David Fitzgerald, director of commercial properties for River Street Plaza, said he has been in contact with representatives from more than 1,000 restaurants, and that further announcements are forthcoming. He said the commercial space in each Plaza building should break down into four eateries and four sit-down restaurants, with a mix of types of food in each.

Fitzgerald and (Greg) Ford (, vice president of sales and marketing for River Street Plaza,) said they've been talking to a wide variety of restaurant companies, and there will be some upscale dining establishments in the Plaza, as well as a focus on locally owned restaurants.

"We can put in a taco or a pizza place, but we're not sure that's the clientele we want to attract," Ford said. "The local restaurateurs are the ones we want, and a lot have been contacted and shown interest."(emphasis added)