On 17 April 1886, another land association, the Villa Park Land Company, Ltd, was formed, to take ownership of about 200 acres of farmland running north from the Belt Line railroad right of way, across Hertel avenue and on to the northern city line. It was bounded by Delaware avenue on the west, and by Sterling avenue on the east. This was to be another residential project drawing on proximity to the park for its success, and was located directly north of the Parkside residential development which was already underway. Frederick Law Olmsted and his son John C. Olmsted, at the request of Bronson C. Rumsey and others, submitted a preliminary plan for the development in October, 1886.
The developers expressed concerns about Colvin street (now Colvin avenue), which bisected the tract and was the one street directly leading to a park entrance. At the time, it was being proposed that a new parkway-like road be created from Delaware Park all the way to the new Niagara Reservation in Niagara Falls. Indeed, some maps of the time used the name “Niagara Falls Boulevard” for that of Colvin street. They also decided to phase their development, focusing on the northeast quadrant of the property for initial work. To address the concerns, the Olmsteds submitted a revised general plan in May, 1887 addressing those wishes.
It is apparent that the developers of Villa Park were in a situation where they were in danger of outstripping their finances. Not only did they considerably reduce the scope of their plans so markedly, but they also decided to not further pursue a contract relationship with the Olmsteds. To effect the Olmsted plan on the site, they engaged Rochester landscape architect William Webster instead.
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