Design Evanston this weekend released a report voicing support for Housing Authority of Cook County plans for a mixed-income apartment tower on what’s now a parking lot adjoining HACC’s Perlman Apartments at 1900 Sherman Ave.
The project has not yet begun the city’s planned development review process, but, in a presentation at a City Council meeting last April, HACC officials said they aimed to provide 120 housing units:
- 36 at market rate with monthly rents estimated to average $2,000 for a one-bedroom unit.
- 60 “missing middle” units for persons earning 80% to 120% of area median income, with one-bedroom rents estimated to average $1,666.
- 24 low to moderate income units for persons earning 80% or less of area median income, with one bedroom rents averaging $1,450.
The project would be targeted to residents age 55 and over.
In the Design Evanston document (.pdf) supporting the project, the building was described as having 168 units, a substantial increase from what had been envisioned last year.
It also said HACC is planning a 15 story building, although the rendering distributed with the Design Evanston report shows what appears to be a 16- or 17-story building.
Jack Weiss of Design Evanston confirmed to Evanston Now that the 15-story height was what HACC had described to the group.
The Design Evanston report describes the building as having a “thoughtful” and “progressive” design.
It praised setbacks that “visually reduce the tallness of the tower,” a planned semi-public landscaped park at the front of the site “that the entire community can take advantage of” and use of materials that are “in keeping with other strucutres in the area.”