Answers to the “What’s Gonna Happen Here” question that’s hung on the side of 1245 Chicago Ave. for the past several months may become clear at tonight’s Zoning Board of Appeals meeting.
That’s when the developers of the building, Golden Holdings, LLC, will learn whether the board will approve their request for a special use permit to establish a private membership club for musicians in part of the space.
Walter Hallen of the city’s building division say plans submitted by architect Neil Sheehan call for the club area, at the rear of the building, to provide several recording studio spaces that musicians could use if they pay a monthly fee to join the recording studio club.
The front of the building is planned to become a restaurant, with the middle portion to be a performance space with general seating and a stage area.
Mr. Hallen said that except for the special use permit, which also will require City Council approval, the plans are ready for issuance of building permits.
The developers invited passersby to submit suggestions for the building’s use to a web site they created which drew a wide range of thoughts, many focusing on ice cream and other desserts.
A call this morning to Mr. Sheehan wasn’t immediately returned.
The building, which as been vacant for several years, most recently housed the clothing store Khaki.
When the new developers pulled down the wood boards that Khaki used to cover the classic facade, they found the remnants of a sign for a former tenant, the Harwald Company, a manufacturer of film splicers and other audio visual equipment, which moved to Lincolnwood and is now known as Research Technology Inc.
Update and correction: The 1245 Chicago Ave. project is on the agenda for the April 17 ZBA meeting. How did I get the date wrong? Well, I was scanning the e-mailed agenda for the April 3 meeting too fast and didn’t notice that some items listed were scheduled for the following meeting. I promise to scan more slowly in the future. — Bill Smith