It was a swift and affirmative vote as Naperville’s Planning and Zoning commissioners voted 8-0 in favor of approving a planned unit development (PUD) for the third and final phase of the Main Street Promenade.
Retail Properties of America, Inc. (RPAI), owners of the.83-acre lot on the corner of Main Street and Benton Avenue, said the space will be a five-story mixed-use building. The first floor will contain retail space and the rest of the building will be used for residential housing.
Apartment amenities will include a fitness area, swimming pool, courtyard, and an internal deck.
RPAI made some changes from the plan they proposed to Planning and Zoning commissioners last June, which was 4-4 split vote by the commission. One was reducing the original number of proposed luxury apartments from 72 to 42.
Changes From Original Plan
Another was addressing the concerns commissioners had about guest parking spaces.
“We had previously requested for a variance to reduce the required guest parking,” said RPAI representative Vince Rosanova. “With the new concept of only 47 residences, we’ve been able to increase our guest parking supply. In addition to parking each unit at a ratio of one space per bedroom, we’re now able to provide six on-site guest parking spaces as well nine guest parking spaces located in the adjacent Main Street Promenade East for a total of guest parking supply 15 spaces, when code requires 12 spaces.”
More Changes
Community members from the Benton Terrace Condos were concerned last year about building’s density, so RPAI made changes to accommodate.
“The original proposal that came forward last summer the building covered almost the entire lot and was five stories tall… and they were requesting a FAR variance, which is a building bulk variance, to over the 2.5 maximum in the b4 zoning district,” said Naperville’s Community Planner Sara Kopinski. “The revised proposal before you tonight covers roughly a third of the same lot and is five stories in height. The FAR of the entire building is under two, which complies with the zoning district and the height remains under the 60-foot maximum as well.”
Praise From Community Members
Since RPAI didn’t request an FAR variance this time around, the building will be approximately 130-feet away instead of 10-feet from the Benton Terrace Condo according to Rosanova. The changes were well received by community members.
“The residents of Benton Terrace are supportive of the project,” said Benton Terrace Condos representative Phillip Lukanhans “We have also agreed on an easement…to tie the two properties together. We’re still working on finalizing that easement language, but expect that would be done before city council. That would be the only outstanding issue for us, but we do expect that to be finalized.”
Rosanova said he’s in the process of finalizing language on the easement. The project will now go to city council.
Naperville News 17’s Christian Canizal reports.
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