Evanston aldermen tonight will review plans for a 163-unit senior housing development planned for vacant land at 1815 Ridge Ave.
The latest design for the development reduces its height to 10 stories, from the 11-story plan approved in a 4-2 vote by the Plan Commission in April.
Renderings comparing the height of the previous and current designs for the building.
Plans call for the 105-foot-tall building building to have 102 assisted living and independent living dwelling units, 31 assisted living units for persons with cognitive impairment and 30 memory care units.
The proposal calls for rezoning the site from C2 Commercial to D4 Downtown Transition District. and special use approval for the assisted living units.
The building will have 67 parking spaces on site.
The developer has agreed to provide an estimated total of $900,000 in public benefits include two affordable housing units on site plus a $400,000 contribution to the city’s affordable housing fund and various traffic control improvements near the site.
The proposed project has drawn complaints from some residents of condominium buildings on the west side of Ridge Avenue who object to its height and density.
“Senior” building
Evanston does not need another high end building for older adults. With or without cognitive impairment.
senior building plans
All humans feel a bit threatened by change. This is understandable. However, as someone said, “to change is to grow”. I am increasingly discouraged by the NIMBY objections raised by a variety of our citizens to almost any development.
A couple of points: no one is entitled to “a view”. the only way to insure preserving a view is to buy the air rights over the proposed lot. the owner would set the price.
If you even glance at the demographics in the US, you will see that the population is aging. This proposal could bring quite a bit of revenue of a variety of sorts when built. Many of us older folks like the idea of being in a city, particularly those of us who have lived in Evanston for quite a few years (since 1952 in my case…)
And some of the reasons given by a number of NIMBIES are downright ridiculous. Some of those objectors seem to really be grasping at straws, (itinerant academics destroying a neighborhood (objector to the first Stone Porch b and b), and the danger of a child seeing an ad for coca cola on the score board at Ryan field), for two really silly examples.
Balance, careful thought, trade-offs are the solutions. let’s try those for a change.
Mary Brugliera