Tonight (Tuesday at 7pm) the 49th Ward Zoning and Land Use Committee will meet at Alderman Moore’s 49th Ward office (7356 N. Greenview Ave). They will vote on Connie Abels request for a zoning variance.
Be there to voice your opposition.
RPneighbor sent this letter to Alderman Moore and Connie Abels.
Dear Alderman Moore,
We attended the meeting a few weeks ago regarding the proposed development for Connie Abel’s property at 7001 N. Sheridan Rd. We wanted to put on record our thoughts and feelings about the project and how it could impact the neighborhood. It is our opinion that this project is pushing the envelope in every dimension; in usage, height, and architectural construction and style.
Although we can appreciate the idea of creating parking for an extremely congested area as well as the idea of a restaurant with lake views, we feel that the location is not appropriate. A parking structure of the size proposed with access only from the alley has serious design flaws not to mention the disruption of nearby residents. The residential building behind this property and to the south has entrances that would face the access ramp to the parking garage. There would be restaurant deliveries and waste and this is a residential area. Put simply, the space is just too tight to accommodate this level of usage.
As to the height, from the presentation materials, it is apparent that the building would be seen from a great distance and would not fit in on the street. The modern character of the proposed building with its concrete sides would stick out like a sore thumb beside the vintage buildings surrounding it. The aesthetic of Rogers Park is quite different from say Lakeview. People tend to move here and stay a long time. Lakeview is much more transitory and changeable in nature. A building of this style would fit in very well in Lakeview. A traditional aesthetic is more in line with the identity of Rogers Park. Yes, we’re liberals here, but we also have the one remaining park area with direct lake access and with blocks of neighborhood streets that have not been decimated with cinderblock and industrial concrete construction as in Lakeview. We want to keep it this way.
We agree that a building of this size would be much more appropriate on Clark Street or Morse Avenue or Howard Street, where the use is mainly commercial (as in the case of Clark Street) or where people desire there to be more retail and commercial type uses (as in Howard Street or Morse Avenue).
To us, this is all about thoughtful planned community development; realizing an inspiring good order in the public environment while protecting the positive qualities of both the natural environment and cultural heritage. Rogers Park has some unique qualities that we want to see preserved. One of which is lakefront access. Another is our vintage housing stock and character.
There are examples of other big cities that have embraced community planning. One example we found was in San Diego’s Uptown neighborhood, considered a “hot zone” for redevelopment. They have a planning commission where architects and developers work closely with the community to ensure projects feature contextually appropriate designs that blend comfortably with the existing neighborhood. If they can do it in San Diego, we can do it in Rogers Park.
During the presentation, when we asked Connie Abels about the style of the building and we asked if perhaps it could made to “blend in” more, she cited a desire for diverse architecture and also alluded to the existing inconsistency in architecture on Sheridan Road.
Sheridan Road is more consistent than inconsistent in architectural style and use. There are many more vintage apartment buildings and single family homes than 4+1s or mid-rises. You don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Just because we have a few out of character buildings that were built when building codes were sub par (case in point 4+1s) doesn’t mean we have to give up having a cohesive character for our community.
Commercial and market interests should not out weigh community values. There is a way to balance all of these factors and the needs of the business community and the residents.
We ask that you not support this proposal. While we appreciate Connie Abel’s willingness to invest in Rogers Park and her big ideas, we just don’t see this as the right place for it. We hope she will consider taking her plan to another more appropriate location.
Best regards,
Steve Gerard & Jocelyn Meyer
22 comments:
Here's a link to another excellent letter from a neighbor:
In Defense of the Lakefront Protection Ordinance
Anne M. Sullivan
Excerpt:
" ... the Lakefront Protection Ordinance ... was created to protect the lakefront in Rogers Park from turning into Edgewater."
craig, well done. jocelyn and steve, very well stated.
the "planning commision" concept, in my view is at the heart of this and every development proposal in rogers park. i have been trying to forward this concept for some time now and i believe that you have both made a strong case for this planning concept in your letter.
please feel free to contact me if you would like to explore this concept further with likeminded neighbors. garyfuschi@yahoo
holers-
letter exchange is posted between alderman moore and mike luckenbach on the lpo and 7015 sheridan proposal. http://rogersparkreview.blogspot.com
Modernist? Nah.....way to playful and irreverent a design to be Modernist.
Much more Postmodern.
Argue amongst yourselves all you want. Just don't criticize my Chipotle!
'dem fightin' words!
lakefrontlibby-
did you see the proposal?
Chipotle - Sheridan and Albion.
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At first I opposed Abel's building based on the precedent the height may set. However, if this building were built, and proved successfull, it may spur more creative design through out the rest of Rogers Park. Including nearby Morse and Clark.
lakefrontlibby-
quit pretending to know anything about aesthetics!
quit demanding historicist crap architecture!
please let everyone know if there is anything else we should quit doing.
birchwoodbill-
rebbecca and i are going. we asked in advance a few weeks ago and will be assured a spot. the office can't hold too many of us neighbors.
To Jeff O
From Toto
Do you know what a C.A.V.E. is?
Citizen Against Virtually Everything.
There are plenty of CAVEs in RP. That's why it can be so nasty.
Right on Libby. Schamtlzy fakey psuedo historic crap looks like schmaltzy fakey psuedo historic crap. People are soooo affraid of edgy new styles. Why I bet if Frank Lloyd Wright was trying to present in RP today, people wouldn't like his designs either.
Oh well.
Bill and anyone else interested:
Anyone can show up for the presentation but for the vote all but the committee will have to leave. I checked with the Alderman's office. I think this will not pass from what I have heard.
janice-
lol, i wish i owned proprty over there. honestly, i'm curious about the process and i originally thought that the neighbors in attendance would get a chance to respond, as we did at the original meeting. this is part of the response i recieved back from the alderman.
"After they are finished discussing those two issues, the Committee will hear one or two presentations of new proposals. The presentations will include questions from the Committee members. You and any other member of the public may attend that portion of the meeting and silently observe the proceedings. Following the presentations, the Committee will engage in further deliberations. This portion of the meeting is not open to the public."
the alderman in his letter today talked about an "extensive community review process".
i'm wondering where that is taking place.
JeffO
Just curious, the zoning committee voted this development down a few times already. The community is more against it than for it- what makes you think it's going to go through?
Also, I think you are misusing the term "nimbyism" here. Sad you have to resort to labels.
And yet again, you are overly dramatic and acting like a meth user. I am not going to "have a heart attack"- but it sounds like you are. I merely took the time to compose a thougtful letter that expressed my opinions on this proposal. I am not sure why you find this so threatening.
I'd call your viewpoint quite fatalistic.
and in response to this bit of tripe:
"The prospective nimby single family home owner always shuts up and takes the money that the developer offers though as was so poignantly protrayed with the 1225 w farwell case, so lame, and cliche."
We just downzoned our property so this won't be us if we ever decide to sell or move. Some people try to have integrity and walk the walk. What have you done lately?
Lakefront Libby:
Please provide some examples so we can better understand your frame of reference. I am talking about quality construction in a traditional style- that is all. I am not sure what types of buildings you are referring to.
Thanks
YES! At the recent Pivot Point infomercial at Gale Academy, Moore announced a new election-year get-tough policy on developers who don't get on with it, starting with former Aldermanic pal John Terzakis and the Lerner property on Ashland south of Howard.
Let's put Coe's Hole into receivership and give it to Connie!
My money is on Joey giving Connie her exemption. He da mayor of RP and can do as he pleases, as he took great pains to remind everyone at the meeting.
But what I want to know is how it is that Connie can post that big ass ReMax billboard on that property? Isn't it currently residential property? Can one post big ass billboards on residential property? Can I do that at my house? What terrific income-producing opportunities this could offer.
Pamela said: But what I want to know is how it is that Connie can post that big ass ReMax billboard on that property? Isn't it currently residential property? Can one post big ass billboards on residential property? Can I do that at my house? What terrific income-producing opportunities this could offer.
Sure she can. Bosworth Jonquil Neighbors couldn't put up a big ass sign that said no drugging, no drinking, no dog poopies left behind, no trash dropped. Joe said Richie didn't like signs, Joe said our sign was negative. Random bullets and murder is negative too. To warn or protest this is negative too
But there is a teeny little don't let your dog poop sign that's about 5x8 on a lamp post. That's unoffensive.
lakefront-
thanx for responding. i share your frustration with the new wave of "look at me i'm rich, i'll create my limestone laden castle bigger and better than my neighbor" monstrosities that have ruined entire square blocks in once stately neighborhoods downtown. i love limestone detailing in older, truly historic and sensitively considered buildings. now, limestone is the new instant, exclusive status symbol, replacing granite counter tops on that list of "gotta have's".
yesterday's aesthetic discusssion not withstanding, there was almost overwhelming approval at the loyala meeting for the "bold design statement" the architects were proposing for 7015 sheridan. the disagreement in the room to the overall project, the half baked business plan and the probe of the lpo and many of the impact issues that would result, split the opinions in the room to a conservative 70% "against" to 30% "for" ratio. the alderman has been quoted as saying the opinion in the room was split 50%-50%. propaganda.
that night, my neighbors proved to me that they are quite capable of appreciating genuine attempts by design teams to make statement buildings that go beyond the "faux historic" mediocrity you have frustration with. and honestly, i think it surprised the development team too. i think they might have purposely floated that modern concept to try and divert attention from the real purpose at hand, which was a probe of the lpo, imho.
i liked the direction, whether diversionary or not, that the design team was headed in. i would like to see a fully developed, smaller version of that building and the detailing that would determine if the juxtoposition of a modern/ historic contrast would actually work.
if anything gets built there, it should be a genuine architectural statement regardless of the style. after all, it's chicago, it's the lakefront and it's sheridan road and how often do building sites come on the market with all these issues at stake. the lakefront deserves this consideration and so does rogers park.
Libby - I think you and I have some things in common and I'd love to have an offline conversation with you about them. If you are willing, can you drop me a line sometime at rogersparkreview@hotmail.com
I look forward to speaking with you.
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