Committee approves Lorraine Antiques Design Review District to protect corridor fabric

The Development, Planning and Sustainability committee on the floor approved ordinance 15‑20‑2025 to create the Lorraine Antiques Design Review District, a zoning map change sponsored by Councilmember Spencer that covers a small commercial corridor between West 83rd Street and West 61st Place.

Shannon Leonard, chief zoning administrator for the City Planning Commission, told the committee the purpose is "to grant oversight to the Far West Design Review and City Planning Commission, for all exterior changes and demolitions along our commercial corridors and to protect and preserve our important urban fabric closest to our transit." She and neighborhood planner Nate Lowell showed a small area that had been omitted from prior design‑review boundaries and described nearby anchor sites including the CPL Lorraine branch, Century Antiques, the USPS post office and a neighborhood recreation center.

Committee members sought and received clarification that the proposal establishes a Design Review District under the City Planning Commission rather than a landmarks district. Councilman Austin, whose ward includes a portion of the corridor, praised the initiative as a measure to protect the street's character and said he was "happy to see it to the finish line." No public commenters spoke on the ordinance during the meeting.

With no further questions, the committee approved the ordinance and asked members to sign on. The action places exterior alterations and demolition reviews for the newly included parcels under the City Planning Commission's design‑review purview. The committee moved on to other business after closing the zoning portion of the meeting.