Compasspoint Cleared For Arlington Heights Apartments

Compasspoint Development is in the clear to build an apartment complex in Arlington Heights after tweaking its original proposal.

Arlington Heights officials have approved the developer’s $66 million plan to build a 135-unit apartment building and ground-floor restaurant at 116-120 West Eastman Street, replacing two low-rise office buildings currently on the site, the Daily Herald reported.

Compasspoint went back to the drawing board after officials previously opposed the plan. The following alterations were made to appease the village’s prior concerns:

The northwest corner of the fifth floor was reduced from five stories to four by removing three apartments, mitigating its impact on nearby single-family homes.

The number of units was scaled back again, this time by one, with adjustments made to the second-floor layout.

Noise concerns were addressed through the inclusion of a decorative cabana fence buffer and landscaping for the second-floor pool deck.

The original iteration of the project, proposed in May, called for a seven-story, 150-unit building with more visible parking from the street.

Despite these changes, some neighbors argue that the development remains too tall and dense for the area. In response, the village board is considering a “red flag” ordinance, signaling potential zoning changes to developers eyeing the immediate vicinity.

Trustee Jim Tinaglia praised the developer’s efforts to accommodate neighbors’ concerns, mentioning the project’s reduction in size.

“I know that this could be, as of right, quite a bit taller, quite a bit larger, than what these folks are proposing,” Tinaglia told the outlet. “It could be someone who came in and asked for 140 feet and tried to find a way to park it and try to make it fit with a shoehorn.”

Trustee Robin LaBedz proposed a broader ordinance that would encompass transitional areas between residential neighborhoods and the downtown district. Tinaglia, however, voted against this motion, suggesting a more inclusive approach.

—Quinn Donoghue