LINCOLN PARK — Saying too many residents stand in opposition, Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) has decided to deny a request for a zoning change for a proposed six-story project at 1740 N. Clybourn Ave. — a development that has languished in the planning stages for a few years.
"The ratio of opposition to support was significant and that's what set this one apart," Hopkins said in an interview. "There was very little support and opposition continued to grow."
His decision comes after the developer, Dennis Claussen, of Richden Co., appeared to have rejected requests by some neighbors to scale down the project. The developer presented the original proposal at a meeting earlier this month.
The current proposal, which is almost identical to the one presented two years ago, calls for a six-story apartment building with 68 units and 68 parking spaces on the vacant lot at 1740 N. Clybourn Ave.
Over the last few weeks, Hopkins said Claussen's team was working at a "break-neck pace" to gain the community's support.
"He didn't get it, but it wasn't for a lack of last-minute effort," he said.
Though Hopkins made it clear that he does not support the zoning change, he warned that developers might come back to the table with something that "conforms to the current zoning but is, in many ways, less desirable."
It's unclear if the developer will scale down the project and build within the current zoning parameters instead, Hopkins said.
"I think he's been too busy trying to save this project to think about what the plan B might look like," he said.
Claussen didn't respond to a message seeking comment.
Still, Hopkins doesn't think that keeping the lot vacant is the best outcome. He said he's open to a transit-oriented development or a different residential development — just not one that's purely commercial.
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