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Controversial Edison Park Apartment Complex, Garage Revived, Alderman Says

By Heather Cherone | September 27, 2016 3:17pm
 A proposed 44-unit apartment complex and 156-space garage proposed to be built in the heart of Edison Park
A proposed 44-unit apartment complex and 156-space garage proposed to be built in the heart of Edison Park
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41st Ward Office

EDISON PARK — Plans to build a 44-unit apartment complex, 156-space garage and shops in the heart of Edison Park that created a firestorm of controversy have been revived, Ald. Anthony Napolitano (41st) said Tuesday.

Details of the proposal at 6655 N. Oliphant Ave. from Troy Realty will be unveiled at the meeting of the 41st Ward Zoning Advisory Committee set for 6:30 p.m. Oct. 6 at Olympia Park, 6566 N. Avondale Ave., Napolitano said.

Troy Realty President Hubert Cioromski had been scheduled to present the development to the committee in June before Napolitano and 41st Ward Democratic Committeeman Tim Heneghan clashed over the proposal, delaying it for four months.

Cioromski could not be immediately reached for comment Tuesday.

The zoning committee makes recommendations to Napolitano on whether projects should be granted special permission by city officials.

More than 500 people attended the June meeting of the zoning committee to hear details about the proposal. But the developer told Napolitano that its representatives would not appear at the meeting as the furor about the proposed development grew online.

The alderman has said he urged the firm to consider building condominiums, not apartments, in an attempt to win the community's support.

Napolitano said Heneghan was a "liar" who "maliciously" tried to scare 41st Ward residents by making it seem like low-income apartments would be built in the heart of Edison Park in an attempt to boost his political prospects in the next aldermanic election.

But Heneghan said his intent was to provide information to residents on a topic of great public interest.

Because the development requires a zoning change, four of the apartments would be set aside for low-income residents, as required by the city's affordable housing ordinance. The affordable apartments would be rented for about 60 percent of the area's median rent, according to the law.

Heneghan is widely expected to challenge Napolitano in the 2019 aldermanic election.

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