Ravinia District Could See First Development in 12 Years

HIGHLAND PARK, IL - The city’s Ravinia Business District could see its first new development in 12 years as a plan to build a mixed-use, four-story building at the site of the former White Hen Pantry on Roger Williams Avenue has been resurrected.

Developer Al Klairmont is seeking approval on an amended parking plan for the new building to the Highland Park Plan Commission, according to a Highland Park News report.

Klairmont’s proposal to have the 5,470-square-foot building to have five storefronts and 30 one- and two- bedroom apartments was approved in 2014, but the project hit a snag due to a parking dispute between the developer and the city.

Klairmont wanted to supplement on-site parking for residents of the building with a nearby lot the city leases from the Ravinia Housing Association. But the developer claims the city was not interested in leasing the entire lot for an extended period of time.

Now, Klairmont is seeking a one-space reduction in the number of required parking spaces, from 52 to 51,and 25 of those would be in the nearby lot. But the use of the spaces would not be exclusive to residents and employees of businesses at the new building.

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