Development Committee July Meeting

Overview

The July meeting of the Neighbors of West Loop Development Committee did not include any developer presentations.  Instead, the attendees discussed several topics, as described below.

Feedback on Recently Presented Developments

• 848 W. Randolph (Nobu Hotel): The committee identified parking as the top issue for this development.  May will follow up with the developer to make arrangements about the donation they agreed to make to the community.
• Soul City Church expansion: The committee is supportive of the Soul City Church expansion (which has already been approved, with the work having started).  Matt will prepare a letter to confirm NOWL’s support of this development.  The letter will note NOWL’s desire for Soul City Church to file a Type I Application to ensure that no further expansion occurs without community input.
• 17-27 N. May/1111 W. Washington: The committee expressed concern with the proposed height of the two buildings in this development.  It is preferred that the buildings be no taller than the nearby Belgravia “CA” buildings.  NOWL will develop a position letter after the community meeting (to be scheduled).
• 845 W. Madison: The developer has provided a new rendering of the property.  The committee expressed concern about the high density of the proposal.  NOWL will develop a position letter after the community meeting on Tuesday, July 26^th.
• 110 N. Carpenter (McDonald’s headquarters): A community meeting was held for this development on June 22^nd.  Residents near this property have scheduled a meeting with the developer, Sterling Bay, for July 13^th.  The committee identified increased traffic around the site as the top issue for this development.  [NOWL subsequently had a meeting with Sterling Bay on July 20.]

Alderman Burnett Meeting

NOWL board members met with Ald. Burnett and discussed a number of topics:

• Skinner West Expansion/Brown STEM Program: NOWL thanked Ald. Burnett for his efforts to secure funding for the expansion of Skinner West and the introduction of a STEM program at Brown Elementary.
• Neighborhood library/community facility: The alderman is supportive of a new community space in the West Loop, as well as a new fieldhouse for Skinner Park.  NOWL will work with the alderman to identify a location that provides the most benefit to the community, as opposed to a location that is too far from the neighborhood’s population center (which would limit the utility of the space).
• NOWL Neighborhood Plan: NOWL introduced Ald. Burnett to the Neighborhood Plan.  He emphasized his desire for the various West Loop community groups to work together on the plan.
• Developer funding: NOWL noted that we will be looking for ways to encourage developers to donate toward community needs, like parks & green space, a Skinner Park fieldhouse, and a community facility.

RFMA Parking Agreement

The committee discussed supporting Randolph Fulton Market Association’s requests for Sterling Bay to provide parking for their development at 1K Fulton.

By:  NOWL Development Committee Chair, Matt Letourneau