THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | FRIDAY, MAY 9, 2008
Triangle Plan Allows For More Parking
By RICHARD MAYER
Journal Reporter
Does anyone have a crystal ball? Will the Mt. Prospect Village Board vote on Tuesday, May 20 to redevelop the downtown "triangle" at a cost of $40-45 million, or will it be denied and started over from scratch?
Residents filled the board room Tuesday night to listen to a presentation by Heimbaugh Development Corp. and OKW Architects.
The originally planned 105 condo units have been scaled back to 97. There are now 126 public parking spaces provided in design plans.
"We reduced the residential aspect to optimize parking and increase parking ratio," said Heimbaugh.
Modified designs have also freed up space for 10 parking spaces along Northwest Highway. The spaces were created due to a building being scaled back 10-ft. from the property line, according to Chicago-based OKW's Architect Mike Fitzgerald. He said of the 97 condo units, 29 would be one-bedroom and the other 68 will be two or more bedroom units.
Current plans call for 165 residential parking spaces, equivalent to 1.7 spaces per condo. Prior to the modifications, the ratio was 1.6.
The two-acre project, bounded by Busse Avenue, Elmhurst Road and Northwest Highway, in the heart of Mt. Prospect, originally called for two seven-story mixed-use structures consisting of 105 condominiums and approximately 31,000 sq. ft. of space for retail and restaurants.
"Each one bedroom condo would include one parking space and each two or more bedroom condo would include two parking spaces," said Fitzgerald.
Previous designs consisted of 108 parking spaces for the 31,000 sq. ft. of proposed retail space. Now, the plans show an increase of 126 parking spaces. The increase is equivalent to four spaces per 1,000 sq. ft. of retail, opposed to the previous 3.6 spaces per 1,000 sq. ft.
Fitzgerald stated that with the 10 additional spaces on Northwest Hwy., 22 spaces on the north end of the development, plus the 126 spaces, there will be 158 total spaces for retail.
According to Rosemont-based KLOA Principal Project Engineer Michael Werthmann, traffic in the downtown area may see a reduction because it is hoped people will increase their use of public transportation, more people will already be in the downtown area, existing sites that generate traffic will be replaced, and other streets will be used to ensure overcrowding on one road doesn't occur.
The latest Heimbaugh proposal also includes an internal plaza that would provide "unique" outdoor dining opportunities and an area for public gatherings. Buildings would be constructed in a staggered form so natural light and privacy can be provided for future residents.
After Tuesday's presentation, Mayor Irvana Wilks spoke to the crowd in attendance outlining her history with downtown redevelopment and why this proposal is "unique."
Wilks said she was previously associated with redevelopment as a member of the Downtown Redevelopment Association dating back to 1985 when former Mayor Carolyn Krause appointed her. Then, in 1991 she was elected as a trustee.
"I knew the last pieces to re-develop were going to be the hardest," said Wilks. "Each parcel in downtown has unique owners, shapes and history."
At one point, Wilks said she considered seeing the triangle area across from Village Hall built to look similar to downtown Long Grove, consisting of numerous little shops. After further consideration, she believed that may not work with young people or families.
"We were not acquainted with Heimbaugh until Dr. Errol Oztekin introduced him to us," said Wilks.
Wilks insists Heimbaugh is not a public developer and money the village contributes is part of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds that are used for the purchase of property or improvements of certain infrastructures.
The village's financial contribution for this project has numerous components that include:
* The village contributing land it currently owns at 6 and 12 W. Northwest Hwy., 20 W. Busse Ave. and the parking lot at the southwest corner of Busse Ave. and Main St.
* The village vacating Busse Avenue between Wille and Main streets and a portion of the Wille Street right-of-way adjacent to the site and contribute it to the project.
* The village acquiring and contributing the Curtis, Meeske and now-owned Meersman properties. The village is currently involved in condemnation issues and eminent domain proceedings with the first two properties.
* The village creating a Business Improvement District for that area, which would allow an additional 1% sales tax on sales in the district. Therefore, the total contribution is estimated at $9.5 million.
A final reading on the project is scheduled for Tuesday, May 20.