What’s being built at Route 157 and University Drive in Edwardsville?

A 24.5-acre mixed-use development called University Pointe Plaza is moving forward at Illinois Route 157 and University Drive in Edwardsville, near Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The Edwardsville City Council approved the project’s preliminary subdivision plat on May 4, 2026, and the developer is targeting the first business openings for late 2027.

The project replaces the former Gateway Regional Medical building, which was demolished and cleared in March, according to The Edwardsville Intelligencer. Restaurants, retail and professional offices are among the planned uses, and residential development is also being explored.

Key details

• Location: Illinois Route 157 and University Drive, Edwardsville
• Size: 24.5 acres, with seven development lots and two common-area lots
• Zoning: B-2 Commercial Business District
• Ownership entity: University Park Plaza LLC
• Initial investment: At least $5.53 million for property acquisition, infrastructure, utilities and roadway improvements, per the redevelopment proposal
• Current status: Preliminary subdivision plat approved by the City Council on May 4, 2026
• Timeline: First openings targeted for late 2027, per the developer

What is planned for University Pointe Plaza?

City records and recent reporting point to a mix of restaurants, retail and professional offices. In a Sept. 21 report by The Edwardsville Intelligencer, the developer’s attorney said the group is working with several interested parties, including prospective commercial and residential users.

Tenant names have not been announced yet, and details on the residential component, such as unit count and housing type, have not been released.

The original redevelopment proposal, presented to the City Council on March 3, also described a hotel as part of the mixed-use plan. A hotel operator has not been announced.

Who is behind the Edwardsville project?

The ownership and development entity is University Park Plaza LLC, according to city documents.

Engineering is being handled by Thouvenot, Wade & Moerchen, Inc. (TWM), whose Glen Carbon office prepared the preliminary plat. The developer is represented by the law firm Byron, Carlson, Petri & Kalb LLC.

The property falls within Edwardsville Community Unit School District 7, according to the subdivision documents.

What has the city approved so far?

The project has moved steadily through city review this year:

• Feb. 26: The proposed inducement resolution went before the Administrative and Community Services Committee.
• March 3: The City Council approved the inducement resolution by a 5-2 vote.
• April 15: The Plan Commission reviewed the subdivision (Case 2026-08) and recommended approval of the preliminary plat 7-0.
• April 29-30: City committees reviewed the plans, including the parking layout along Route 157.
• May 4: The City Council unanimously approved the preliminary plat among the seven aldermen voting, with an amendment adjusting parking along Route 157.

The March inducement resolution allows certain early redevelopment costs to become eligible for reimbursement if a business district is later established. The proposed tool is an additional 1% sales tax on eligible purchases made within the district, with revenue used to reimburse qualifying costs. It would apply only inside the district, not citywide. Two aldermen voted against the resolution following discussion of the incentive.

The next step on that front would be formal establishment of the business district by the city. The $5.53 million figure covers land, infrastructure, utilities and roads, separate from the cost of the buildings that will go up on individual lots.

How will people get in and around the site?

The preliminary plat shows two entrances, one from Route 157 and one from University Drive. The internal road network connects through a roundabout, with Barnsback Terrace forming the southern leg and a road named University Pointe Plaza extending to the northwest.

The plans also include:

• Sidewalks throughout the subdivision
• A shared-use path along Route 157
• Additional landscaping along Route 157
• A single row of parking with a drive lane on lots 1, 5, 6 and 7 facing Route 157

Sidewalks along the lots and the Route 157 path are to be built as lots develop or within three years of the final plat being recorded.

The engineering plans include detailed grading, erosion control, storm sewer and drainage designs to work with the site’s rolling terrain and existing drainage channels. The two common-area lots total 5.45 acres, including 1.18 acres of qualifying passive greenspace under the city’s calculations.

What happens next?

University Pointe Plaza is set to develop in phases, with individual buildings starting as lots are sold. The developer’s late 2027 target applies to the first openings, with additional buildings to follow as the site builds out.

Upcoming milestones that have not yet been announced include:

• Tenant and occupant announcements
• Final subdivision plat approval and recording
• Formal establishment of the business district
• Site plan reviews and building permits for individual lots

Those steps would go through the City of Edwardsville’s Planning and Zoning department.

Sources: City of Edwardsville City Council agendas and minutes (March 3 and May 4, 2026); Plan Commission agenda and minutes for Case 2026-08 (April 15 and May 20, 2026); TWM preliminary subdivision plat, project 240871 (April 30, 2026); The Edwardsville Intelligencer (March 10, March, early May, May 5 and Sept. 21, 2026); RiverBender/EdGlenToday (May 5, 2026).

618 Homes is a real estate and development publication based in Edwardsville, covering the Metro East. We report on new development, construction, business openings and closings, infrastructure, and the local housing market.

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