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Father & Son Plaza Development Rejected By Ald. Hopkins

By Ted Cox | September 26, 2017 10:55am | Updated on September 27, 2017 11:53am
 Ald. Brian Hopkins said a scaled-down 10-story, 293-unit development proposal at Father and Son Plaza still posed concerns over transportation and density.
Ald. Brian Hopkins said a scaled-down 10-story, 293-unit development proposal at Father and Son Plaza still posed concerns over transportation and density.
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FitzGerald Associates Architects

OLD TOWN — A major development at the so-called Father and Son Plaza on North Avenue is on the rocks after the alderman announced his opposition to a "final," scaled-down proposal.

Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) has sent out a letter to constituents in the area announcing his opposition to a scaled-down development of 10 stories and 293 apartments.

Hopkins held a public meeting on the proposed development in December at Marcello's Father & Son Pizzeria, at 645 W. North Ave. At that time, it was to be 14 stories and 365 apartments with 30,000 square feet of retail and 188 parking spaces with an address of 633 W. North.

It would have included rooftop gardens and a pool, and the 188 parking spaces would have been reduced from what would otherwise have been required, as it would qualify as a transit-oriented development thanks to its proximity to the CTA Sedgwick and North and Clybourn stations.

That proposal was up from the original 350-unit plan announced in June 2016. But even then Hopkins withheld his support as he gauged public response.

According to Hopkins, "The proposal was met with significant community opposition with respect to the size and height, density, parking configuration and potential increase in traffic along North Avenue and Larrabee Street."

Hopkins said the proposal was first reduced to 12 stories and 348 apartments, then to 10 stories and 293 units.

"I continued to meet with residents and community groups to gauge the level of support for the final proposal," Hopkins wrote in his letter to constituents. "Due to continued community concerns, I am opposed to this development and will not introduce a zoning change for this property."

That effectively kills the development as proposed, although businesses in the strip mall, such as Tipre Hardware, have already closed to make way for a new development.