Plan commission members have set hearing dates beginning Feb. 6 on the $58-million project, which includes the village turning over a parking lot it owns. Hearings will continue one week later and could wrap up on a Saturday session Feb. 15. The extra time is being budgeted in the face of increasing local resistance to redevelopment in the village as well as the size of the two-tower multifamily building.

Whiteco's proposal last year drew three competitors, but village trustees opted to enter into a redevelopment agreement with the national multifamily builder and operator. Galen Gockel was the only trustee to vote against the move last month, citing a lack of affordable units in the project. After meeting with community groups, Whiteco officials went back to the drawing board.

A recent hearing was postponed after an attorney for the owners of the neighboring Holley Court Terrace multifamily building raised questions about a legal notice. However, without the plan commission present, Whiteco officials unveiled a new presentation to residents. The west tower was stretched further along Harlem Avenue and reduced by 11 feet to 178 feet, or 17 stories. The east tower was shaved by three stories. The 500-car parking garage also was lowered to five stories, though on a bigger footprint.

"This mass is now substantially smaller," architect Joseph Antunovich tells residents. "We've taken 75,000-sf out of the project by making it more efficient."

Whiteco officials expect to collect rents of about $1.85 per sf per month. Plans call for about 45% of the units being one-bedrooms ranging from 750 to 830-sf, with 25% of them two-bedrooms of about 1,100-sf. The remaining 30% is distributed evenly between 620-sf efficiency units to three-bedroom apartments.

Instant Insights /

GlobeSt.com UPDATE: Whiteco Trims Down High-Rise Plan

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