Evanston aldermen tonight rejected a controversial pitch by billionaire James N. Pritzker to buy the Harley Clarke Mansion and turn it into a high-end hotel.
Led by Pritzker, Tawani Enterprises Inc. was the only bidder for the lakefront building, 2603 Sheridan Road, which Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl has said the city can no longer afford to maintain.
At the beginning of tonight’s City Council meeting, Tisdahl said she encouraged Pritzker to submit his $1.2 million plan for the 2.5-acre property. Critics of Pritzker’s proposal have argued it would undermine Evanston’s history of protecting its parkland, especially along the lakefront.
“Blame me if you’re concerned,” Tisdahl said. “His proposal is not what I had anticipated.”
The council voted 6-3 to decline the the Pritzker-backed bid.
— Patrick Svitek
