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Neighbors press developer on wall, lighting and native plantings for proposed 60‑unit Lehigh Avenue project
Summary
Residents of Morton House condominiums urged the developer for the proposed 60‑unit mixed‑use building at 8500–8550 Lehigh Ave. to preserve or extend an existing brick privacy wall, limit overnight lighting and use native plantings; the developer said it will work with staff to accommodate concerns and hopes to return for final approval in January.
Residents of the Morton House condominiums pressed a development team at the Village of Morton Grove board meeting on Dec. 9 over security, lighting and landscaping tied to a proposed 60‑unit, four‑story mixed‑use building at 8500–8550 Lehigh Avenue.
“We want a solid wall to remain there. I don’t care if it’s that wall or a different wall, but not a fence,” said June Mear, a Morton House resident who told the board she had circulated written comments and coordinated concerns with neighbors. Christine Corelli, building maintenance manager for the Morton House Condominium Association, told trustees she wanted the existing long brick wall maintained or extended and warned that erosion behind the building could make the area unsafe.
The project team — represented by Bernard Citron of Thompson Coburn and designer Joe Mashek of BSP Design — told the board they had reviewed resident letters and would work with village staff to address the issues raised. Mashek said the team will “comply completely with the additional shielding to provide to reduce the amount of light trespass,” commit to substituting native species in landscaping and evaluate whether sections of the existing wall can be preserved or repaired.
The plan commission previously approved the preliminary plat and special‑use application for the site, which includes about 4,000 square feet of ground‑floor commercial space and an outdoor plaza. The developer said it hopes to return to the board for final approval in January; if approved, the team said it expects to begin permitting and start construction in spring with an approximate 16‑month construction schedule.
Trustees and staff emphasized that some changes to the existing wall may be necessary for public‑safety reasons. Mashek said part of the wall might need removal to provide required fire access but that the project team would look for design solutions — such as a board‑on‑board fence that would match the wall’s appearance where preservation is not possible — to prevent pedestrian cut‑throughs to the nearby forest preserve.
The plan commission’s review included a separate petition to vacate roughly 0.531 acres of Chestnut Street to optimize the site footprint; that vacation request and the subdivision are connected to the developer’s proposed redevelopment agreement with the village. The board treated these items as first reads and did not take a final vote at the meeting.
What’s next: The applicant indicated it hopes to be before the village board for a vote in January after staff and the developer finalize a redevelopment agreement and permit submittals. Trustees said they will continue to coordinate with Morton House residents and the development team on wall preservation, lighting shields and native plantings.
