Maple Avenue Development Approved By Aldermen

The 12-story, 101-unit residential development that’s been long debated at 1571 Maple Ave. in Evanston was approved by aldermen Monday night by a 6-1 vote (Ald. Judy Fiske dissented), according to reports.

The vacant, 22,112 square foot L-shaped property bounded by Elmwood Avenue on the east, Davis Street on the north, and Maple Avenue on the west is now all set to be developed by Centrum Partners, LLC.

As part of an agreement, the city will allow several special use variances while Centrum will pay $103,020 a year to lease 101 parking spaces in a 1,400 space garage two blocks to the north, according to Evanston Now.

Parking issues and obstructed views for the building’s would-be neighbors were among the concerns shared by residents of the area.

The measure was tabled at the Evanston City Council’s March 23 meeting due to questions several aldermen raised regarding affordable housing. Some suggested the developer provide some units that could be considered affordable while another suggestion was to contribute a larger amount to the city’s affordable housing fund.

That amount, from March 23 to what was approved on April 13, increased from $120,00 to $400,000, the Evanston Review reports.

Other contributions to be made by the developer include a one-time contribution to the Divvy bike-sharing program, employment of at least five Evanston residents and construction of an energy-saving LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building.

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