Residents, business community weigh in on 6-story Hahn Street redevelopment

ELMHURST – A handful of residents expressed concerns last week about the proposed six-story mixed-use Hahn Street redevelopment during a public hearing, but members of the business community seemed in support of the project.

The Elmhurst City Council selected Morningside Group to develop the property, which the city assembled in downtown Elmhurst, just south of Panera on York Street.

The project, called North District, which will include 192 luxury apartments, 12,000 square feet of retail space, 153 public parking spaces, 335 residential parking spaces and a civic plaza.

In order to construct the project, Morningside Hahn, LLC requested a conditional use permit for building height as well as several variances, including density, dwelling units below the second floor, the number of retail parking spaces required, the number of residential parking spaces required, 26 tandem parking spaces in the residential parking area, sign area, and height and area of temporary development signs.

The requests were presented at a public hearing Sept. 11 in front of the Zoning and Planning Commission.

Both Elmhurst City Centre and the Elmhurst Economic Development Commission submitted letters of endorsement for the project.

Tamara Brenner, an Elmhurst resident, requested zoning commissioner Kurt Warnke recuse himself from the public hearing since he served as chairman of the Economic Development Commission at the time of the letter.

"I think that's an ethical conflict," said Brenner, who made a similar request of Warnke at a public hearing before the zoning commission two weeks earlier about a proposed six-story condominium building at 195 and 197 N. Addison Ave., Wilder Crossing.

Warnke provided the same response, saying he recused himself of discussions about the project during the economic development meeting.

James Ferolo, an attorney for the zoning commission, said Warnke has adequately addressed the issue, but Brenner was not satisfied.

"I still register my objection," she said.

Jeff Budgell, an Elmhurst resident and architect for the Wilder Crossing project, voiced his support for the North District project during last week's public hearing.

"I think it's a great project for the downtown. It would be terrific for the north side of town," Budgell said.

A couple residents were worried existing issues with trucks making deliveries and collecting garbage at Panera and CVS may be exacerbated by the project, which would have both commercial and residential loading zones as well as transformers on the north side of the building.

Other concerns included the project density and increased traffic.

Mary Ellen Martin, a member of Morningside Hahn, LLC, said the developer is working with the city to address some of the issues related to the north alley and traffic, and the city plans to study the alley as well as Addison Avenue down to Third Street holistically in terms of traffic.

Brenner also pointed out the project's variation request to the number of retail parking spaces required. She agreed with the proposed parking for the project, but called it hypocritical after the city approved a six-story public parking garage with first-floor retail on Addison Avenue.

"Our zoning code seems to be too high on parking," Brenner said.

The zoning commission will deliberate on Morningside's requests Oct. 9.