HomeMy WebLinkAboutORDINANCES-1998-095-O-989/23/98
11 /24/98
AN ORDINANCE
Granting an Application for Certificate of Special Merit
for Demolition of the Structure at 912-918 Clark Street
WHEREAS, in August, 1994, Commonwealth Edison Company, as owner and
leaseholder of the landmark structure at 912-918 Clark Street ("subject property"),
Northwestern University, as the landowner, and Research Park, Inc., collectively, "the
Applicant", applied for a Certificate of Appropriateness pursuant to Section 2-9-8 of the
Evanston Historic Preservation Ordinance ("the Ordinance"), Title 2, Chapter 9 of the
0 Evanston City Code of 1979, as amended; and
WHEREAS, the Evanston Preservation Commission held a public hearing, pursuant
to proper notice on September 20, 1994, and denied the application for a Certificate of
Appropriateness; and
WHEREAS, the Applicant then applied for a Certificate of Special Merit ("CSM"),
pursuant to Section 2-9-11 of the Ordinance; and
WHEREAS, public hearings on the application for CSM were held by the Planning
and Development Committee of the City Council, and a record made, pursuant to proper
notice on November 14, 1994, December 10, 1994, February 6, 1995, and March 20,
1995; and
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WHEREAS, after reviewing the application and the record, the City Council denied
the application for CSM by Resolution 17-R-95, adopted on March 27, 1995; and
WHEREAS, Resolution 17-R-95 stated the basis for denial as "conditions now
existing, including representations at the public hearing that Northlight Theatre can raise
the necessary capital to develop the subject structure"; and
WHEREAS, the City Council, pursuant to Resolution 17-R-95, retained jurisdiction
over any later efforts to demolish the subject structure, conditioned upon a showing of a
"substantial change in circumstances" by the Applicant; and
WHEREAS, the Northlight Theatre has declared that it has no interest in the subject
structure as a performance venue; and
WHEREAS, the Northlight Theatre's declaration constitutes the aforesaid •
"substantial change in circumstances"; and
WHEREAS, reapplication for the CSM has been made; and
WHEREAS, the Planning and Development Committee of the City Council
conducted public hearings pursuant to proper notice on the application on September 28,
1998, October 12, 1998 and October 26, 1998; and
WHEREAS, the Planning and Development Committee recommended approval
after having made findings pursuant to Section 2-9-11-(B) and Section 2-9-11(C) of the
Ordinance that the application met the standards for approval of the CSM; and
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WHEREAS, the subject structure is located within the southern portion of the
Research Park on one of the parcels to be developed pursuant to Resolution 96-R-97 into
an urban retail/entertainment complex; and
WHEREAS, the subject structure is not suitable or appropriate for an adaptive reuse
associated with the retail/entertainment complex; and
WHEREAS, demolition of the subject property is a necessary prerequisite to
development of the said retail/entertainment complex and is in the best interest of the
citizens of Evanston,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
• EVANSTON, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS:
SECTION 1: That the City Council finds as facts the foregoing recitals.
SECTION 2: That the aforesaid record of public hearings and findings of fact are
incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof.
SECTION 3: That the City Council makes these determinations pursuant to section
2-9-11(B) of the Ordinance:
a) The project, the aforedescribed retail/entertainment complex, is consistent
with the Comprehensive General Plan ("Plan") of the City. As found by the City
Council in Resolution 17-R-95, the subject property, to be developed as part of the
retail/entertainment complex, is located in the Downtown II section of the Plan,
development of the subject property will enhance the economic vitality of the
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Downtown II section, and demolition of the subject structure will make the site
available for high -density development.
b) The project is necessary and in the public interest, in that it will provide
significant cultural, social, and civic benefits. It will provide a public gathering place
and foster a sense of civic pride. The project is particularly desirable at the location
proposed, in that it will encourage street -level use in an area in which it .is lacking,
and will enhance the vitality of the area by attracting pedestrians after office hours.
SECTION 4: That the City Council hereby grants the application for CSM, finding
that the standards for granting of a CSM set forth in section 2-9-11(C) have been met,
namely:
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a) There is no feasible and prudent alternative site for the proposed project of
which the subject property is a part, as determined by the City Council in the
"Downtown II Redevelopment Plan and Redevelopment Project", adopted on
January 28, 1985 as Ordinance 152-0-84 and by the City Council's "Designation
of a Developer for the Southern Portion of Research Park and Authorizing the
Negotiation of the Redevelopment Agreement", adopted on December 15, 1997 in
Resolution 96-R-97.
b) Use of the existing landmark or area, property, structure, site or object
located in a district for the special merit use is not financially and physically feasible,
in that incorporating the subject property into the project would significantly impact
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the layout and design of the retail lease areas and the cinema auditoriums with
respect to floor plan and connections between levels. The interior space is devoid
of intrinsic details.
c) The proposed project includes all possible planning to minimize harm to the
existing landmark or area, property, structure, site or object in a district resulting
from such special merit use, in that professional architectural evaluation of the
subject property found no feasible means of incorporating it into the project.
SECTION 5: All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby
repealed.
• SECTION 6: This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its
passage, approval and publication in the manner provided by law.
Introduced:, `'�2-8v, 1998
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Adopted: 1v -3) , 1998
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Mayor v
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ATTEST:
I MagrA F�J, E
ApprovF as to form:
corporation Counsel
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