EDGEWATER — A handful of proposed residential developments slated for construction along three of Edgewater's main arteries will go before the city Tuesday in one of the last steps before the projects head to the full City Council.
After a series of community meetings on the buildings, Ald. Harry Osterman (48th) said he would support the three projects — slated for Ridge Avenue, Broadway and Sheridan Road.
On Tuesday, representatives for the projects will have their final chance to advocate on behalf of the buildings before the 18-member Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards.
If the buildings are approved, they will proceed on to the full City Council, which typically defers to local alderman on development projects.
At 5440 N. Sheridan Road, the corner of Sheridan and Catalpa, is a 16-story, 174-unit luxury senior high-rise called the Overture Edgewater. Eighteen dwellings would be considered affordable housing.
The apartments would include one-bedrooms, one-bedrooms with a den, and two-bedrooms, each with its own washer and dryer.
A three-level parking garage would have 204 spaces — including 60 spots to be used by residents across the street at 5445 N. Sheridan Road on the garage's top floor.
Amenities include an outdoor area with a pool, barbecue area, space for dogs, a possible putting green, an in-building salon and spa, workout and fitness areas, classes, concierge service, happy hours, continental breakfast, legal services and more — but also a 30 percent premium on rents.
The Overture Edgewater. [Provided]
At the other end of the neighborhood, a six-story, 105-unit apartment building hopes to take the place of a current auto body shop.
The majority of residents at a community meeting voted in favor of a "toned-own" version of the original project at 6145 N. Broadway, which had included more than 80 percent of its units as studios, an extra story and a different facade.
The development now calls for 45 parking spaces and 105 apartments — broken down into 45 studios, 40 one-bedrooms and 20 two-bedrooms.
On the ground floor is a 3,700-square-foot retail space.
Developers from City Pads LLC and Catapult Real Estate Solutions LLC have said the building is targeted at millennials, who they said tend to prefer common spaces over apartment space, hence the earlier plans for more studios.
Communal areas in the building will include a private outdoor patio and place to grill, as well as a fitness area.
Rents — $1,200-$1,300 for studios, $1,600-$1,800 for one-bedrooms and $2,000-$2,100 for two-bedrooms — have remained the same, an aspect developers first pitched as "high" rent similar to other studio-heavy buildings like it in Logan Square.
Ten percent of apartments will be set aside at an affordable rate in accordance with city ordinances, though developers are no longer required to do so because the building would have fewer apartments.
If the project is approved by the City Council, attorney Rolando Acosta said his team would likely begin construction in early 2018 and finish in late spring or early summer 2019.
A rendering of the revised plans for 6145 N. Broadway, showing a new facade. [DNAinfo/Linze Rice]
Along bustling Ridge Avenue a four-story project is planned for a former substance abuse center.
The proposal includes nine units between 1,300-1,600-square-feet to be sold in the $400,000 range, at least nine parking spaces and about 3,400-square-feet of ground-floor retail space. A public green space would also be added.
If approved by the City Council, the project would inevitably add to traffic along Ridge Avenue — a busy thoroughfare used by commuters as well as neighborhood residents.
Construction would also impact surrounding streets, though developer Frances Kao said she would try to keep the impact to a minimum.
Overall, Kao said she hoped the new building would help make Ridge more pedestrian-friendly by slowing down traffic and boosting retail.
Kao said her goal is to begin construction in August and complete the building within 1½ years.
Development at 5691 N. Ridge Ave. [DNAinfo/Linze Rice]
