2500 Green Bay Increase to 12 Units on SPAARC Agenda

The long-delayed, ill-starred site at 2500 Green Bay, known to some as "Arcadia Green" but to most simply as "that hole in the ground on Green Bay," is up for site approval at the Site Plan and Appearance Review Committee (SPAARC), Wed., Sept. 14, 2011, at 2:30 PM in Room 2404 of theCivic Center, 2100 Ridge.
 
Once upon a time, this was going to be a green, energy-self-sufficient building, with innovative geothermal HVAC. Unfortunately, disputes within some of the development team combined with the economic downturn to halt construction in process, after a foundation and the first steps in the geothermal had already been taken. The property went into foreclosure. It appears that the new owner of the property, @properties, a real estate company that has grown rapidly in Evanston, is attempting to package the property more attractively for redevelopment, but more info will be forthcoming, presumably, at SPAARC.
 
@properties wants major zoning relief to increase the number of residential units at the development from the 8 previously approved to 12 units, while reducing paking spaces to 15 parking spaces (18 would otherwise be required).
 
Existing zoning would prohibit so many units on the 50 x 200 lot and would also require more parking spaces.
 
The City Council has the final say but SPAARC is the first public opportunity to see a proposal like this. Usually very few if any residents attend these mid-day meetings, one of the reasons folks often feel surprised by hearing of proposals at a late stage in the process.