260-Unit Deerfield Rd. Apartment Complex Receives Initial Approval

By Daniel I. Dorfman

The Woodview Development, a proposed 260-unit building to be constructed on the southwest corner of Deerfield Road and I-94, (the former site of the Beth Or Congregation) received initial approval from the Village Board Monday night on a 5-1 vote to adopt the Plan Commission recommendation for the project.

The developers are advertising Woodview as luxury complex with units ranging from studios to three bedrooms with amenities like a pool, volleyball court and an outdoor dog park. Monthly rents would range from $1,225 to $2,500, according to materials on the proposal.

But the backers of the proposal still have hurdles to climb on two levels as the property is unincorporated, therefore annexation issues are in play. Secondly, trustees are concerned about the amount of parking being offered.

The proposal — which is listed as a joint effort of Rosemont’s Conor Commercial Real Estate and Ravine Park Partners, LLC of Skokie — may receive some modifications, specifically regarding the parking.

A village formula based on bedroom count and the number of units requires 436 spaces to be offered for a complex this size. The developers provide 390 spaces at this time with 45 of those on the top floor of a five-story structure that will be exposed to the weather, which leaves some spaces vulnerable to snow.

That did not escape the attention of the board members, who have the right to supersede the ordinance.

“I don’t want to see a parking problem where people are fighting over parking spaces on their floor because I think this is a very nice development,” said Trustee Barbara Struthers.

“Everybody who comes says they are going to take care of the parking and very seldom is it taken care of,” added Trustee Bill Seiden, who was the lone dissenting vote.

The developers maintain there will be 1.54 spaces per unit, which they believe will be sufficient for the people living in the 7.68-acre complex.

“We do feel like what we have is an appropriate amount,” said Molly McShane, a senior development manager for Conor. 

“There is additional green space if we decide we need more parking. We can create more parking,” added Greg Moyer, a partner in Green Park Partners. “We have more green space than what is required under the zoning.”

Mary Oppenheim, who was representing the Plan Commission, said that while that body did approve the proposal, they did tell the petitioners they would prefer to see the amount of green space kept where it is today.

Other changes for the development include an installation of a traffic signal at the intersection of Parkway North and Deerfield Road along with new pedestrian crosswalks.

Also, the developers say Pace has stops already in place to take people to Metra stops at Lake-Cook Road for the Milwaukee District North Line and Braeside for riders of the Union Pacific Line.

The plan’s future now depends on two distinct measures.

First, the plan commission and the village board must sign off on a final development plan that will likely incorporate some tweaks to the original design. Second, since the property is not completely in Deerfield, the village board must accept an annexation agreement. That could be done as soon as next month.

If there are no other hurdles, groundbreaking could occur later this year with construction lasting approximately 18 months.