Decision on Contract Extension for Addison Development Postponed to July 15

Correction July 3: The most recent downtown comprehensive plan for the City of Elmhurst dates back to 2006. Elmhurst Patch regrets the error.

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Repeating a sentiment he voiced at last week's Development, Planning and Zoning Committee meeting, Alderman Mark Mulliner told Elmhurst City Council members he wants to take a fresh look at the Addison Street development project, at 135-149 N. Addison. 

The committee on June 24 approved a recommendation to extend for the fourth time a contract with developer Addison Corridor Development LLC, and the City Council was scheduled to give final approval to the extension Monday. Mulliner did not sign that committee report. Although he is "not necessarily opposed to extending the contract," the project as a whole needs to be reevaluated, he said. 

"We need to take a step back, take a deep breath and review (the project) as it relates to how we see that whole block," he said. "We need to rethink that whole area … If we continue to push this, we will get locked into keeping the 'same old, same old.' New alternatives have come about recently and we as a council need to discuss those alternatives."

Committee Chairman Scott Levin said the six-month extension is necessary because the city has a "substantial investment" in the project, and the business community "fully supports" it. 

"It would be very bad policy to merely say we're not going to extend the agreement after we've spent years acquiring the property, paying for it and getting it ready to go to meet a need that was long-ago identified by the city," Levin said. "Our partner may say they don't want to do it anymore and we'll have another property sit vacant for another couple of years, just like Hahn Street. There is really no choice in my opinion."

Extending the agreement also will give the council more time to look at options, he said.

The beleaguered project has gone through many stages since 2009, when the first letter of agreement with the developer was signed. Most recently, the city's Zoning and Planning Commission denied Addison LLC's request to build a six-story office/retail/parking structure on the site, stating "there are a number of unresolved issues and unanswered questions regarding this development project."

Problems, according to the commission report, include the following:

• The proposal to build more office space on the site is problematic because the city currently has more than 60,000 square feet of vacant office space.
• There are potential safety issues related to vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
• Building the structure from lot line to lot line, as proposed, would prevent new pedestrian amenities on Schiller Court.
• Building the structure 6 feet beyond the setback line on Addison doesn't take into consideration any potential new development across the street, on the west side of Addison.

Read the full report here.

The Zoning Commission recommended officials use they city's comprehensive plan to guide any new development. The comprehensive plan for the downtown dates back to 2006. 

"Since there are no newer planning tools to guide new development on Addison Avenue, any contemplated plans for development should continue using the comprehensive plan for guidance as future initiatives are considered. Of particular interest would be a focus on the area referred to as the 'doughnut hole' and the city parking lot located on the west side of Addison Avenue." 

The "doughnut hole" is the center of the proposed development, which currently is used for parking and deliveries.

Mulliner asked that the contract extension be sent back to committee. 

"I was on the council when this first was discussed, and I wholeheartedly agree that we need additional parking and we need to have a project that will fit in that area," he said. "A lot of things have changed in the business community, and a lot of things have changed as it relates to this particular property."

His motion to send the discussion back to committee died for lack of support by a second committee member. 

But it was soon discovered that the rest of the City Council hadn't seen the original agreement with Addison LLC. This was an error due to the Council's new implementation of Board Docs, a system of providing documents electronically rather than on paper, Levin said.

"Now that I'm cognizant that none of the members of the council have seen this, the confusion is becoming apparent," Levin said.

The council agreed to delay the vote on the contract extension until its next meeting July 15 so all council members can read the agreement. It will not be discussed again at the next Development, Planning and Zoning Committee meeting July 8.

The deadline for extending the contract is July 15.

Read more about the Addison Avenue project:

• Residents Speak of Broken Rules, Sweetheart Deals and Conspiracy at Zoning Meeting
• Minutes and Tapes of Closed Sessions Regarding Addison Avenue Project Made Public
• Hear Discussions from Closed Session Meetings on Addison Avenue Development Project
• Developer of Addison Project is Granted More Time to Prepare for Hearing on Building Height
• Developers of Addison Project Tackle Residents' Concerns at Public Hearing
• Residents' Opinions of Downtown Six-story Structure Unchanged After Public Hearing
• Six-story Building on Addison Gets a Big 'No' from Elmhurst Zoning Commission
• Alderman Mark Mulliner Wants to 'Slow Down,' Rethink Addison Avenue Project