LINCOLN PARK — Plans to build a six-story residential development in the 1700 block of North Clybourn Avenue are far from coming to fruition, according to Ald. Brian Hopkins' chief of staff, Steve Niketopoulos.
"We're not anywhere with this project," Niketopoulos told residents at a community meeting Monday evening.
A couple of weeks ago, Dennis Claussen with Richden Co. filed a zoning application to build a residential building — complete with 68 residential units and 68 parking spaces — at 1728-48 N. Clybourn Ave., city records show.
But the developer doesn't yet have the approval of the relevant community groups or the alderman, which is required to move the project forward, Niketopoulos said.
Claussen "was waiting until the election was over to try and see how Ald. Hopkins would handle the development. He knew very well there was tension with this developer [among residents.] We met with him at the end of July and we asked him to make the effort to reach out to [the] RANCH Triangle [neighborhood group]. I have not talked to him since," Niketopoulos said.
The developer filed the application a little more than a year after he first revealed his plans, which were met with opposition from residents.
Claussen did not return messages seeking comment.
The proposal hasn't changed too much from last year save for adding an entrance and exit off Clybourn Avenue, according to the zoning application and Niketopoulos. Back when it was first introduced in June of last year, residents were concerned about the height of the building and proposed number of units.
Those same concerns were brought up again at a RANCH Triangle meeting Monday evening, held at Adams Playground Park, 1919 N. Seminary Ave.
Diana Epstein, who lives in the condo building directly across the street from the proposed development, opposes the building, which she said would "stand out awkwardly" on the street.
"I would prefer to see something that's within the scale of what the rest of the block looks like," she said, adding that it's going to be three stories taller than many of the nearby buildings.
Epstein, along with the rest of her condo association board, has a legal history with Claussen. He owns the commercial space on the ground-level of their condo building.
In 2010, the board filed a lawsuit against Claussen for failing to pay special assessment fees, according to a court document shared with DNAinfo Chicago.
"I don't think he's good for the community," said Julie Peckham, a fellow resident who also serves on the condo association board.
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