UPTOWN — After tallying up votes from neighbors, 46th Ward Ald. James Cappleman has decided not to support a sober living facility hoping to open in the neighborhood.
Nova Recovery Center sought permission to open a 15-person facility at 928 W. Cullom Ave. Neighbors living within 250 feet of the property had until 5 p.m. Thursday to voice their opinions.
There were a total of 506 votes cast, but only 143 were from residents within 250 feet. Of those votes, the facility received only 34 yes votes and 109 no votes, according to the 46th Ward chief of staff Tressa Feher.
"Therefore, Ald. Cappleman will not be supporting a zoning variance for a sober living facility at this time," Feher said on the 46th Ward website.
The center was intended for doctors, lawyers and business persons with "sufficient financial resources to cover the cost of the stay without insurance," the recovery center said in a release.
"This is intended for people in recovery to remind them they're worthy," Steve Patterson, an attorney for 928 Cullom LLC, said at a community meeting before the vote. "It's very clear this is an act of community. We don't want to come in the neighborhood and cause a problem, and we don't think we will."
The property has six bedrooms, four full bathrooms and one half-bathroom. The 4,000-square-foot home wouldn't need new construction besides internal remodeling, according to a release from the developers.
