http://www.dailyherald.com/search/searchstory.asp?id=268281
Condo/hotel project near OK in Oak Brook
By Henry Stuttley
Daily Herald Staff Writer
Posted Thursday, January 11, 2007
A large-scale development where people can shop, eat, work and live is moving ahead in Oak Brook.
Village officials have granted a special-use permit for the
Clearwater development, despite concerns about parking and an approval process that appeared to complicate matters for the mixed-use development.
The village’s plan commission and zoning board of appeals have unanimously approved the special permit for the 16-acre development.
Under the plan, the developer would raze the warehouse at the northwest corner of 22nd Street and York Road to make room for 450,000-square-foot development.
The development will have a restaurant; shops;
16-story, 62-unit condominium building; 50,000-square-foot health club; and 139-room, six-story hotel, said Susan Hammersley. She’s senior vice president of
John Buck Co., the developer who owns the existing building.
The village board will continue to discuss the Clearwater project and is expected to approve construction at a board meeting at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 23.
If approved, the development would bring in $590,000 annually in sales tax and $143,000 in hotel tax each year, she said.
Because several changes had to be made to fit the current zoning codes, the developers added three dry detention storm water areas to the project. Hammersley said that, from an aesthetic standpoint, the development should improve an underutilized area.
“We see this project as a gathering place,” she said, “a place where you can live, shop work and play.”
The Oak Brook Fire Department did raise concerns about having enough room near the hotel for large emergency vehicles to maneuver. Some parking spaces might be eliminated for that reason.
But Village President Kevin Quinlan doesn’t appear to be worried about those issues.
“This again is one of those developments that will help us enjoy the lifestyle that will help our tax revenue without raising sales taxes,” he said.
Because Oak Brook doesn’t have a zoning classification for this type of mixed-use development, some village officials said one should be adopted to make the approval process smoother for future projects.
“We had to jump through hoops to get things to work,” village Trustee Bob Sanford said. “And with a planned development, it will give the village a lot more flexibility to work with the developers coming in.”
----------
I've been following this project for a while. Here's a crappy pic I posted on SSC
The architect is Goettsch Partners.
And don't worry, there's plenty of surface parking for everyone!