Elmhurst Zoning and Planning Commission members this week closed their public hearing on a proposal for a nine-story condominium building to go up on a site on North York Street across from City Hall with rebuttals to objections from the developer’s attorney.
Commissioners hope to begin deliberations on the case at their first meeting of 2023 on Jan. 10.
The proposed project from RSCK Holdings LLC of Oak Brook is for a 109-foot tall building almost completely filling the site at 196-202 N. York St. The project, The Residences at 200 North York, calls for 28 luxury condominiums on seven residential floors over two floors of above ground indoor parking. The site now holds an outdated two-story commercial building and a small bungalow, both vacant.
This week, RSCK attorney Scott Day walked commissioners through a PowerPoint presentation — Microsoft PowerPoint — Power Point Presentation — Rebuttal — 12-13-22 (boarddocs.com) — rebutting some of the objections which have been raised by interested parties, many of them residents of the Elmhurst One95 condominium, which sits on Addison Avenue directly across the alley and west of the proposed site.
In his rebuttal, Day covered alley congestion and safety, setbacks, garbage collection and deliveries — those pesky Amazon trucks — but the focus was on complaints about building height.
“Let’s face it,” Day said. “The height issue from the inception of this project has been the only thing people have focused on.”
By way of rebuttal, Day cited chapter and verse — literally — of Elmhurst’s 2016 Downtown Plan, a document he said clearly calls for the tallest buildings in the city’s Central Business Core. The proposed 200 North project sits in the heart of that core, where Day said building heights up to 125 feet are allowed by conditional use.
At the 200 North side, city rules allow for buildings up to 77-feet tall “by right.” RSCK is asking for a conditional use permit to build to the 109-foot tall height proposed.
As part of the height discussion, Day spoke about the shadows that will be cast by the new building, particularly shadows to be cast on the One95 building. Day noted that the north face of the One95 building is in shadow most of the day, but that apparently didn’t deter sales of condos on that side of the building, condos which sold for more than $1 million.
“Tall buildings cast shadows,” Day said, questioning whether property rights include the right by owners to have their properties shadow-free.
Day got a few questions from commissioners about how deliveries will be handled, including whether the building will include a staff member. His response was that commissioners can impose conditions as part of their deliberations.
Commission Chair Susan Rose closed the hearing about 8 p.m. Tuesday. She noted that commissioners will begin their deliberations on Jan. 10, but may not finish in one session. Zoning Commission members will send their recommendations on to the three aldermen on the City Council’s Development, Planning and Zoning Committee. Rose noted those aldermen have broader latitude to consider policy issues as part of their work. From there, the proposal will eventually go on to the full City Council, where the city’s fourteen elected aldermen will make final decisions on the project.
Graydon Megan is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
