Harbour has partnered with Calamos Real Estate, LLC to design, develop, and build an Event Centre at City Gate North. The 210,000 SF facility, nestled just north of City Gate (off of I88 and RT59), will house two NHL-sized sheets of ice (200’x 85′) and is Harbour’s first project internally as Lead Designer. The North Rink is a Community ice sheet utilized by youth hockey, figure skating, organized curling, adult league, public skates, and sled hockey. The South Rink will accommodate 4,500 spectators for hockey games and 6,000 patrons for concerts and events. Between both rinks, a 5,500 SF Restaurant and Bar will be Lofted overlooking the ice surfaces and an off-ice training facility.

The building uses a modern ribbon strip curtain wall system allowing the user to take advantage of ambient sunlight, reducing the electrical load. The 129,600 SF roof will capture rainwater by sloping to an internal drainage system stored in a cistern and reused throughout the facility. The design intent calls for most of the facility’s materials to be prefabricated off-site and then constructed onsite; this will reduce the carbon footprint and impact the building will have on the environment.

Outdoor amenities will include landscaped walkways, shade structure, front lawn (used for events, weddings, and wintertime converted into ice rink), a plaza with led screens (used for pre-event space, markets, and family movies in the lawn), and surface parking lot for +1,000.

The prime location off I-88, with Interstate 355 not far down the road, will give the facility a regional draw and will help feed Naperville’s burgeoning sports entertainment scene, which already boasts Top Golf, Sky High Sports trampoline park, Ultimate Ninjas Naperville and the Iron Gate Motor Condos, Jefferies said.

Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico said when the city started talking with Calamos three years ago, the focus was on developing a concert venue.

Currently, the only potential locations for concerts to be held in the Naperville area are Wentz Concert Hall on the North Central Campus with 605 seats, Community Christian Church’s Yellow Box theater with 1,100 seats and Calvary Church with 3,000 seats.

Chirico said the plan for a concert venue morphed into a more “diversified” multiuse space that could handle music acts, theater, expos, hockey and basketball.

“This is great news,” Chirico said. “It will be super for our hotels, and it’s a great complement to the restaurants and entertainment.”

Calamos Senior Vice President Ken Witkowski said there is nothing else in the area like the venue his company has planned. (Read More)