Evanston OKs Apartments Set to be Chicago Suburb’s Tallest

Evanston’s skyline is set for a new peak.

The City Council narrowly approved plans for a 29-story, 419-unit apartment building at 605 Davis Street, a project that will eclipse Orrington Plaza as the suburb’s tallest building, Evanston Now reported.

The proposal from Vermilion Development, Campbell Coyle and partners passed Monday night, ending more than a decade of back-and-forth over the downtown site.

The fully electric building will rise 299 feet and is slated for completion by early 2028. Developers trimmed the original 31-story plan to win over skeptical council members, cutting a parking level and one floor of apartments to reduce the height and unit count. The revised plan includes one level of parking, ground-floor retail, and a mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments.

Twenty percent of the units — 84 in total — will be set aside as affordable housing, qualifying the project for Cook County’s Affordable Housing Special Assessment Program. The incentive offers steep property tax breaks phased in over 30 years, a point of contention among opponents who say it’s too generous for a high-end development.

“This is a giveaway,” said Alderman Clare Kelly, whose ward includes the site. She decried what she called “extreme zoning variances” and “laughable community benefits,” pushing unsuccessfully to delay the vote for more negotiations.

Supporters countered that the development will add needed housing and bolster the city’s tax base. Alderman Jonathan Nieuwsma along with Alderman Bobby Burns called the project an opportunity that couldn’t be passed on and added that tax revenue will start benefiting local schools within a few years, calling claims of a burden on taxpayers unfounded.

The city also struck a deal to lease 153 parking spaces in a municipal garage to the developers for about $211,000 annually, while requiring upfront permit payments instead of deferred fees. Construction is expected to begin in the spring.

— Eric Weilbacher