City of Naperville - File #: 25-0764

• File #: 25-0764
• Version: 1
• Type: Report
• Status: Agenda Ready
• File created: 5/27/2025
• In control: Riverwalk Planning, Design and Construction Committee
• On agenda: 6/3/2025
• Title: Discuss and provide feedback regarding the next Naperville Riverwalk standard paving brick

RIVERWALK PLANNING, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE AGENDA ITEM

ACTION REQUESTED:
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Discuss and provide feedback regarding the next Naperville Riverwalk standard paving brick

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DEPARTMENT:                     Transportation, Engineering and Development

SUBMITTED BY:                     Andrew Hynes, P.E., Deputy Director/City Engineer - TED

BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
The Planning, Design, and Construction Committee previously discussed this issue on July 2, 2024 (File Number 25-0488).

BACKGROUND:

The Naperville Riverwalk has used the same standard paver, the Stockholm, since it was initially constructed in 1981. The original manufacturer was Paveloc, which was eventually bought out by Unilock about fifteen years ago. Brick pavers were not as common forty years ago as they are today, and the squiggly-edged brick was chosen due to the river-like aesthetic and the belief that the edges would lock the adjacent bricks in place to form one large mat. Brick pavers and installations have improved significantly over the years, and the interlock is no longer as important as it was in the 1980's.

Unilock informed us years ago that Naperville is the only client that still uses this brick pattern, and that they would only manufacture them at our request with a minimum order of 20,000 square feet. In 2024, Unilock initially informed us of issues with the Stockholm paver mold that would prevent further use, but later determined it was still viable.  Recently, Unilock has informed us that the Stockholm paver cannot be manufactured.  With several large upcoming projects such as 430 S. Washington Street and the South Extension we need to start the discussion and make a decision on what paver style to use going forward.

In 2024, the consensus and recommendation from the PD&C Committee was to use the existing Stockholm style paver on the Riverwalk pathways with an alternate for a 4” x 8” paver, consistent with the Il Campo style, on other areas of the Riverwalk. 

DISCUSSION:

There are many shapes, sizes, sizes, colors and finishes of brick pavers available.  Below is our current standard paver.  While they are all the same color when manufactured, they have faded differently over the years as can be seen in the following picture.  The original 1981 bricks manufactured by Paveloc have held their red color much better than the bricks produced in the 1990’s and 2000’s.

Brick manufacturers now add chemicals to the upper one quarter of an inch of the pavers to provide a finish that holds its color and cleans up better when power washed.  Below is an image of the paver that was used in downtown Naperville which is manufactured by Unilock.

Below is an image of the II Campo bricks that were used in the Youth Plaza just east of Eagle Street. 

The following picture is of the bricks that North Central College used near the Riverwalk, at the entrance to their stadium near Fredenhagen Park.

The last picture is of the bricks that were used around Exchange Club Memories Fountain at Fredenhagen Park.