Oak Park’s next big luxury high-rise apartment building could be constructed on the site of the U.S. Bank branch drive-thru and a parking lot at 835 Lake St. – less than a half-block away from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Unity Temple at 875 Lake St.
The proposal is by Golub & Company, the same developer that built the 21-story, 270-unit Vantage Apartments, 150 Forest Ave., in 2016.
The proposal came to light after Golub called a meeting with residents of the adjacent Courtland Condominiums, located to the east. That meeting will take place in the small ballroom at the Carleton Hotel, 1110 Pleasant St., at 7 p.m. on Nov. 8.
Golub senior vice president Michael Glazier could not immediately be reached for comment, but spokesman Jim Prescott said in a telephone interview that the meeting was being held as a courtesy to Courtland residents.
He said neither the press nor the public were invited to attend.
“We’re trying to be respectful and courteous, and those conversations are private,” he said.
Prescott added that there will be a public process, and “there will be ample opportunity for public input and comment, but we’re not there yet.”
He declined to discuss any details about the building’s height, size or number of units.
Prescott did reveal that Golub representatives have had “informal discussions” with the Oak Park Economic Development Corporation. The developer has not submitted any formal plans to the village, he said.
Courtland residents were notified by its condo board in a letter, which states that “the village informed us that a developer is submitting a proposal to construct a high-rise, luxury rental building on the (parking) lot” on the west side of the condo building.
“If their proposal, along with the requested variances, is approved by the village and the relevant commissions, construction could begin in late 2019,” the letter to Courtland residents notes.
The letter further states that Glazier and Golub’s civic affairs consultant and architect will attend the meeting. A public hearing for all residents of Oak Park will be held in late November, according to the letter.
tim@oakpark.com
