Highland Park council directs ordinance drafting for proposed six‑story building at 734 Central Ave.; 6–1 vote

The Highland Park City Council on May 12 directed staff to prepare an ordinance approving the preliminary plan development for a six‑story residential project at 734 Central Avenue, voting 6–1 after extended questions about height, rooftop access and streetscape improvements.

The project developer won council direction to move forward after presenting four elevations and traffic, landscape and inclusionary‑housing details; council set a six‑month deadline for submission of final plans. The council also discussed a $15,000 public‑benefit offer from the applicant and asked staff to consider matching the streetscape design used at the nearby McGovern House as a public‑benefit credit.

Why this matters: The proposal would add multifamily housing to the Central Business District and requires zoning relief because the lot is undersized for the district’s B4‑5 standards. Council debate weighed neighborhood scale and sight‑line safety against downtown density and transit‑oriented development goals.

Key facts: The applicant told the council the site is in a B4‑5 area that normally allows five stories at 63 feet, but because the parcel is undersized B4‑4 standards apply and the project therefore seeks relief for an additional rooftop access level. The sixth level is primarily for utilities and rooftop access; the applicant said there is not a full sixth floor of habitable space. Staff and the applicant confirmed that electrical wiring and parking layout make on‑site conduit for EV chargers feasible in the garage.

Council members pressed architects and staff on design details. Council member Ross thanked the architect for design changes to the required inclusionary unit — replacing a single small living‑room window with sliding doors and relocating a balcony — saying the result produced “a much nicer unit.” Several council members suggested design tweaks to reduce perceived bulk on the street, including removing a small roof over a corner balcony or substituting glass railings on the top story to lighten the facade. The architect said the cornice and opaque material choices were intended to provide a solid cap and balance the brick massing.

Traffic, landscaping and public‑benefit issues: Council and staff noted there is limited parkway width along Central Avenue. The project team said the landscape plan was revised after consultation with the city forester; trees originally proposed were removed at the forester’s request and the plan instead adds lower shrubs. Several council members noted narrow parkway sight‑lines and urged that any plantings avoid blocking vehicle sight distances on the adjacent corner. Councilmember Littower and the Planning & Development Commission liaison said the PDC had reviewed multiple iterations and unanimously recommended approval.

Affordable housing and parking: The applicant is providing the inclusionary requirement as one affordable unit (staff and council cited approximately a 1,270‑square‑foot, two‑bedroom inclusionary unit during discussion). The development will seek a fee‑in‑lieu calculation for a fractional shortfall in required parking (council referenced roughly 0.8 spaces of vacancy relative to code), and the project team described the building as a transit‑oriented development.

Next steps and conditions: Staff told the council the applicant must return with final plan development materials within six months; any substantive change that requires additional relief would trigger another public hearing. Staff also said an ADA review is ongoing and that roof access may require an elevator shaft, which could add a visible “bump” to the rooftop that would be shown to the council before final approval.

Vote and action: The council motion to direct drafting of a preliminary plan ordinance passed 6–1 (Council member Bloomberg voted no). The council recorded roll‑call votes from Council members Senter, Brockman, Ross, Tapia, Littleworth and Mayor Rotering in favor, Bloomberg opposed. The applicant will return with final materials within six months.