2001-63 AMENDING RESIDENCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN - ROOSEVELT SCHOOL APARTMENTS

Home Browse Search

ECONOMIC AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT MEMO #01-85 August 1 S, 2001 TO: Honorable Mayor Howley and City Council FROM: Steve Garman, City Manager A. J. Krieger, Economic and Urban Developm n eparhnent Steven J. Van Steenhuyse,Planning Manag ii SUBJECT: Roosevelt School Apartments: Amendment to Residential Development Plan ��P) SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION: On August 2, 2001,the Plan Commission voted 8-0 to approve the amendment to the Roosevelt School Apartments RDP, to allow the addition of seven units to the school building and minor changes to the configuration of the townhome buildings. Staff finds that the changes from the previously approved RDP conform to Zoning Ordinance requirements and recommends approval of the amendment. BACKGROUND: On March 19, 2001 the City Council approved a Residential Development Plan for the former Roosevelt Middle School property. The property has been purchased by a � private developer,who originally intended to construct 42 apartments inside the school building and also construct 33 new townhomes in five buildings surrounding the former school yard. The project is intended to be financed by a combination of Low Income Housing Ta�c Credits and Historic Preservation Taac Credits. The low income tax credits have been approved by the Illinois Housing Development Authority. However,before the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency(IHPA)would approve the Historic Tax Credits, changes to the plan were requested. The original plan showed Building 5 of the townhome buildings (the building along Grand)with seven units. The westernmost unit was only about 10 feet from the eastern door to the school building, thus obscuring the eastern facade of the building. The IHPA felt that the eastern facade is an important historic element and that views of it needed to be preserved in order to qualify for the Historic Tax Credits. Therefore, the petitioners have eliminated two units from Building 5 and moved it slightly to the south so that the east facade of the school is visible to motorists on Grand Avenue. However, to maintain the same number of townhome units, the two units have been added to Building 1,which in the previous plan had only five units. In addition, IHPA review of the interior of the building showed that certain areas such as corridors and stair towers were not historic elements and could be utilized as apartment units. Therefore,the petitioners propose to add five new one-bedroom units and two efficiency units. This will yield a total of 49 units in the building and 82 total units for the project.