ROGERS PARK — An auto repair shop's plans to move a few blocks away and renovate a building would need City Council approval.
Sabir Makdoom and Abida Parveen, the owners of OK Auto Repair and Body Shop at Pratt Boulevard and Clark Street, are seeking a zoning change to move their business to 7238-40 N. Rogers Ave. The couple bought the building last year.
Ald. Joe Moore (49th) said in an email to constituents the couple plan to do extensive renovations to the one-story building, including tuckpointing and painting the brick facade; repairing and preserving the clay tile roof; installing garage doors with clear glass windows; and replacing the glass block windows and boards with clear glass windows.
Moore hosted a community meeting about the plans Wednesday night.
According to Moore, the property had been zoned residential more than 24 years ago, before he was first elected to the City Council. But the space has been used as a garage by a school bus company and two medical transportation companies. Most recently, Supreme Medicar used the space before going out of business in 2011.
After a year of being vacant, the property lost its "grandfathered" commercial zoning status, Moore said.
Makdoom and Parveen would need Moore to support a zoning change from residential to commercial to move their business.
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