The Evanston City Council approved a request from a local builder to delay the start of construction of a Central Street condominium complex due to fears that the strained buying market will hinder sales.
The extension allows Eastwood of Evanston LLC to begin construction 13 months after the original March 5 deadline. The Eastwood condominium complex, 1700-1722 Central St., will house 47 residences, as well as retail space. Under zoning guidelines, a developer must obtain a building permit and begin construction within one year after the project’s approval.
At Monday’s Planning and Development Committee meeting, developer Robert Horne expressed concern that the company would not be able to sell enough spaces to go ahead with the project by the council’s deadline.
Director of Community Development James Wolinski advised the council to require Eastwood to comply with several conditions, such as building a construction fence and property maintenance.
Several of these conditions must be met within 15 days of the beginning of construction on May 1, 2009. Horne said an additional 30-day after the May 15 completion of the conditional requirements might be necessary if the building has not received enough pre-sales.
The committee passed a revised amendment proposed by Ald. Ann Rainey (8th) in which Wolinski will have the discretion to grant the extension based on his interpretation of the situation come May 2009.
The council passed the ordinance with Rainey’s amendment in a unanimous vote during the regular meeting, which followed committee.
The Planning and Development Committee also saw a presentation of the Lakefront Master Plan, which aims to shape future park development along the lakefront.
Greg Weykamp, a consultant for a landscape design firm, EDAW, Inc., presented the plan to the committee. The plan encourages the city to improve public use, including a reconstruction of the bicycle and pedestrian paths between Lee Street and Clark Street Beaches.
Instead of discussing a resolution to recommend approval of the lakefront plan to the City Council, the committee planned a second meeting to hear public comment and discuss the Lakefront Master Plan. Ald. Anjana Hansen (9th) announced this special session of the Planning and Development Committee will be held on Jan. 22 at 7 p.m.
During citizen comments, several people expressed concern for the council’s future resolution to encourage “humane and just treatment” for illegal immigrants. The resolution is set to come before the council next month.
“You say that it’s only a resolution, but I say that it’s an intimidation of Evanston officers and employees to do the right thing and do their job,” said Rosana Polito, field representative for the Federation of American Immigration Reform in Washington, D.C.
The council planned to discuss a possible reinstatement of the downtown construction moratorium, but held discussion until its next meeting, so that Ald. Steven Bernstein (4th) could be present.
Reach Elise Foley at [email protected] and Sean Walsh at [email protected].