Allen Development has the upper hand on the 400 block of North Maple Avenue, and “upper” is the appropriate word since the proposed 11-unit condo development, at four stories, fits within current zoning. Legally, therefore, the developer, a respected local real estate family, has every right to build an oversized multifamily building in a quiet, single-family enclave. The new structure, everyone seems to agree?#34;except Allen Development apparently?#34;will significantly impair the character of that block.
The only recourse at this point is to make an appeal to the developers to do the right thing and compromise on the size of the building, bringing it down to the height limit for R-6 zoning, which is what this block should have been zoned all along.
Allen Development, headed by Evelyn Allen and her son Bob, is a longtime realty company in Oak Park. The principals have made a good living selling properties to families who wanted to live in a village filled with charm and character. Having benefited professionally from that charm and character, we ask them now to be community-minded enough to do something to help preserve it.
We call on Allen Development to be accountable to the community that provided its livelihood and put the firm in a position to profit from this development.
Evelyn Allen, after all, was supportive of the lobbying effort that was successful in getting a less dense, significantly modified, development currently being built on the former Bank One parking lot on Marion Street. Not coincidentally, we presume, that project is across the street from the Allen’s offices. So she knows what it’s like to be on the other side of legally sanctioned but still overly intense development.
Lowering the building by one story is a fair compromise. We urge Allen Development to be good neighbors.
A Madison Street renaissance?
And speaking of doing it right, lo and behold, it seems to have happened on Madison Street, where the right consultant was hired, who served as directed, in a timely manner, and produced a plan that has pretty much everyone’s support. Now if the village board can clear the way to convert in a plan into projects, maybe Oak Park will have a workable model for future development. By issuing an RFP as quickly as possible, trustees can keep Madison Street momentum moving forward. Appointing the implementation coalition to oversee the process will enable them to turn their unified vision into reality.
Giving interested developers clear guidelines on what stakeholders would like to see happen on Madison Street would fulfill the dream of many in this village who have been frustrated by the lack of “smart” development.
For those who remember Madison Street’s glory days, it would be very nice indeed to see that business district return to prominence. A Madison Street renaissance would once and for all dispel the perception that village hall is only interested in downtown development.
Water polo dynasty at Fenwick
And speaking of returning to prominence, we’re beginning to think Fenwick water polo will never lose it after the unprecedented double 3-peat by the boys and girls water polo teams the weekend before last. Congratulations to coaches Dave Perry and Jack Wagner and their remarkable squads.
OUR CORRECTIONS
In a brief last week about the village board receiving a request for $42,008 from Downtown Oak Park to gussy up the former Sawyer Business School site and provide picnic tables there and two other sites in DTOP, we mischaracterized Trustee Robert Milstein’s interest in raising funding to $50,000. That amount was for the entire project, not just the Sawyer site. Wednesday Journal regrets the confusion.VIEWS