More than a century ago, residents in Oak Park objected to the design of a proposed development they felt was incongruous with the rest of the community, said Daniel Kelch, an Evanston resident, during citizen comment at the Evanston Plan Commission meeting Wednesday.
The architect for that development was Frank Lloyd Wright.
Kelch likened the scenario to the contemporary debate over Optima Promenade, an 18-story planned development proposed by Optima Esplanade at 1515 Chicago Ave., which drew a roomful of opponents to the Wednesday meeting at the Evanston Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave.
“They were not right,” Kelch said, of the opponents to Wright’s buildings. “And these residents are not right.”
Optima is asking for permission to build 175 residential units and commercial and office space. Planned developments allow for 112 units. The company is also asking for height allowances.
Optima representatives said Optima Promenade would be consistent with the surrounding community despite zoning allowances.
Larry Dziurdzik, a design architect from Kracower & Associates, said the proposal would conform with the buildings around the property.
“The proposed development is buffered by streets, alleys and parking lots,” he said, as many in the audience objected loudly in disagreement.
Members of the Hinman Grove Neighbors objected to the project. Although the current law allows 18-story planned developments under certain conditions on the property, they said the intent of the law was to foster a “transitional zone” between downtown and residential areas.
The members said a high-rise building does not constitute a transition.
“I’m not hearing that you’ve taken transitions into account at all,” Evanston resident and President of Hinman House Condominium Association Diane Lequar told Optima developers Wednesday.
Neighbors also said their property values would decrease because the taller building would obstruct the views of nearby homes and create noise and extra traffic.
Mary Linberger, a commercial real estate appraiser, said Evanston has seen a significant increase in home values over the last five years so depreciation would be unlikely.
The construction of Optima Horizons, a 16-story condo at 850 Elgin Road, has not negatively affected property values at Sherman Gardens, 1864 Sherman Ave., just to the south, she said.
“One of the realities of living in an urban environment is that you’re going to be looking at other buildings,” Linberger said.
Many neighbors said a building obstructing their current views of Lake Michigan would make their homes less desirable.
One dissenting neighbor, Leonard Stein, said this type of development was necessary to reinvigorate Evanston’s downtown, which has lost commercial activity since the 1960s and 1970s.
“We’ve now become a willy-nilly bedroom community for the city of Chicago,” Stein said.
Jonathan Perman, executive director of the Evanston Chamber of Commerce, also supported Optima Promenade, saying the residences will attract diners and shoppers needed to sustain commerce in Evanston.
“I assure you that the restaurant you dined in tonight needs those extra residences,” he said.
He said Evanston actually has fewer residents now than it did 40 years ago, when department stores such as Marshall Field’s still stood downtown.
Perman also said Evanston was lucky to have award-winning architects such as David Hovey design buildings in the city.
“Most cities are in the position of having to lure great architects,” he said.
The plan commission will continue to hear discussion and presentations by opponents of Optima Promenade at a later meeting.
Reach Jenny Song at [email protected].
