Plan Commission Rejects 33-Story Rental Tower On Davis

EVANSTON, IL — Plans for a new tallest building in Evanston have hit a snag, as the Plan Commission voted 7-0 Wednesday against a proposed 33-story apartment tower. Commissioners and several members of the public complained of inadequate parking and suggested the building was too tall for its proposed location, Evanston Now reported.

When plans were introduced for the 601 Davis St. tower in March, it was to be Evanston's tallest building. However, the proposal for a 37-story tower to house the Northlight Theater subsequently eclipsed it in size. Neither plan has yet won approval from the city.

Several speakers at the Plan Commission meeting voiced their support for the plan. The developers included a proposal $1.5 million fund to support families at risk of homelessness, which the nonprofit St. Vincent DePaul would administer. Other speakers and commissioners praised the proposal for preserving the 100-year-old University Building at the site and said the tower would help make downtown Evanston more walkable.

In 2015, the same developer, Vermillion Development, proposed a 27-story tower on the same site, which currently includes a drive-thru Chase Bank and a vacant lot.

The plan now goes to the Evanston City Council, where it will require a two-thirds vote for approval.

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_{Top photos: Artist's renderings of proposal | Courtesy Vermilion Development}