Thursday, January 21, 2016

Chicago Plan Commission Approves Proposed Maryville Plan


The Chicago Plan Commission today voted its approval of the proposed redevelopment/ rezoning of the Maryville property.  The next step in the review process is a presentation to the Zoning Committee of the City Council, and if it passes, then the vote of the full City Council.

Interestingly, some of the same community members who a few years ago testified strongly in favor of Helen Shiller's Wilson Yard TIF today testified strongly against Helen Shiller's Maryville TIF. Ah, Chicago politics, you never fail to entertain.

We took a look at the original plan for the TIF, as conceived by former alderman Helen Shiller in 2010, and if this proposed project can bring these changes (among many others) to the Maryville area, we will be happy to set aside our mixed feelings about TIFs to see it happen. Because exactly nothing is happening there now. The redevelopment goals set out in the plan include:
  • "Eliminate blighting conditions which prevent further development of the Area;
  • Stimulate private investment;
  • Encourage new development and expansion in an orderly manner;
  • Encourage productive use of underutilized and vacant property;
  • Restore and enhance the property-tax base within the Area;
  • Encourage sales tax producing enterprises in the Area;
  • Improve efforts to facilitate and attract new housing and commercial development by serving as a catalyst to the private sector;
  • Create market rate and affordable housing options for residents;"
The item on today's Plan Commission's agenda regarding Maryville gives some insight into the overall vision the developer has for the property:
"A proposed amendment to Planned Development No. 138, submitted by Montrose Clarendon Partners, LLC and the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart [...]. The co-Applicants are proposing to amend this planned development through the demolition of all existing structures and the construction of two new high-rise buildings and one single-story, retail structure.

The resulting project will provide one building at the northwest corner of West Montrose and North Clarendon Avenues (Sub-Area A) containing a maximum of: 381 residential units, 30,000 square feet of commercial space and 278 parking spaces with a maximum height of 259’.

A second building will be constructed at the northwest corner of West Agatite and North Clarendon Avenues (Sub-Area B) and will contain a maximum of: 250 residential units and 160 parking spaces with a maximum height of 157’.

The property at the northeast corner of West Montrose and North Clarendon Avenues (Sub-Area C) will be improved with a 6,000 square foot, single-story, retail structure with 11 surface parking spaces. [...]"
We'll keep following this proposed development as it makes its way through the serpentine review process.

5 comments:

  1. It looks good for the neighborhood!

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  2. I'm all for this but that last building gives me a little pause. I pray the building butts up to the corner with the parking spots behind it. Otherwise it's going to look like a sh*tty suburban strip mall. Can anyone verify the placement of the parking?

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    1. I'm so glad this is moving forward, can't wait for it to come down. Per the layout on harlem and irving's website the building will be on the corner and parking will be off clarendon.

      http://harlemirving.com/montrose-clarendon/

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  3. This might be stimulating to a corner of the neighborhood that's been ignored for over a decade. The place there looks like a rat motel.


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