Construction crews will tear up the plaza next to the downtown Downers Grove Metra station starting in July, beginning a $2.9 million renovation that will reshape one of Main Street's busiest gathering spots by November 2026.

The Downers Grove Village Council approved the contract with Copenhaver Construction on Tuesday, June 16, clearing the way for work that had been discussed for two years. The project will be built in two phases, tackling the west half of Linda Kunze Plaza first, then the east half.

The scope is broad: new sidewalks, a fountain feature, a gateway sign, masonry seat walls, landscaping and irrigation, a foundation for public art, repairs to the plaza's existing clock, and adjacent roadway patching.

"This is our front door, and, in fact, an awful lot has gone into making this super attractive for good reason," Commissioner Mike Davenport said at the June 16 meeting, noting the council had been working toward the project for two years.

Mayor Bob Barnett cited the plaza's popularity, saying the space "has got a strong run on a Friday night."

The renovation is the construction piece of a larger downtown vision. The Village's Guiding DG Streetscapes Plan, adopted in April 2025, calls for flexible amenity areas and public art at four downtown locations, including Linda Kunze Plaza. A separate $400,000 contract with Sculpture Milwaukee will bring sculptural installations to the plaza and three other Main Street sites by May 31, 2027. Combined, the downtown investment totals $3.3 million.

Linda Kunze served as executive director of the Downers Grove Downtown Management Corporation for 20 years before her death in 2018. The plaza bearing her name sits adjacent to the Metra station and hosts numerous village events throughout the year.

The Village has not yet detailed how the phased construction will affect pedestrian access or nearby Main Street businesses. Completion is targeted for November 2026.