The Evanston City Council on Monday night was expected to select one of two developers vying to build a multimillion-dollar hotel, theater and shopping complex near downtown. A vote was not expected until late in the evening.
The city has been considering for several months similar proposals from the John Buck Co. of Chicago and Arthur Hill & Co. of Northbrook to build the urban entertainment center on 5 acres of land in the Northwestern University/Evanston Research Park.
The price for each plan is estimated at $70 million, including about $20 million in city funding.
The plans call for construction of a multiscreen movie theater and a 150-room hotel in addition to retail, office and shopping space. Also included in both plans is a 1,000-space parking garage, to be built with city money, and an optional performing arts center that would be built with private or city funds.
While many in the city agree an urban entertainment center could breathe new life into the north suburb’s downtown business district, some residents and city lawmakers have opposed the proposed development–saying it will bring traffic and parking headaches to nearby residential neighborhoods and may require too much city funding.
Assistant City Manager Judith Aiello said Evanston officials are expected to start negotiating a development agreement with one of the developers within the next few weeks. Construction on the urban entertainment center could start this summer.
