A project to build a multi-family housing complex on Madison Street in Oak Park is moving forward.
The village gave final approval to a set of zoning variance requests required for the development of a four-unit, three-story townhome complex on the vacant lot at 427 Madison St., formerly the site of a gas station at the southwest corner of Madison Street and Elmwood Avenue. The project required variance approval from the village board and Oak Park’s zoning board of appeals because the building will be 40 feet tall, above the required 35 feet, and have a smaller rear yard setback than the 25 feet required by the village.
“The structures would be three stories plus a penthouse, consisting of a garage and family room at ground level, kitchen and living space on the second level, bedrooms on the third level, and a penthouse area with roof access on the fourth level. The garage level consists of two-stall spaces for each townhome,” village staff wrote of the proposal. “The garages would be accessed from a driveway along Madison Street, and there would be gates for pedestrian access from the east and west.”
The development represents an increase in Oak Park’s stock of “missing middle” housing types available for purchase, according to village staff. Typical middle housing includes multiunit structures such as townhomes, duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes, according to the National League of Cities.
Increasing the number of those housing types in Oak Park is a key goal for the village board, who’ve expressed interest in remaking the village’s zoning code in an effort to allow more multi-family residential properties to be built in Oak Park neighborhoods. The village recently launched a public engagement campaign on the topic called S”hape Oak Park.
“Shape Oak Park is strategically updating the zoning code to create more missing middle housing—duplexes, triplexes, and townhomes that fit naturally into our neighborhoods while maintaining Oak Park’s cherished character, walkability, and scale,” village staff wrote of the initiative. “Missing middle housing—duplexes, townhomes, and small-scale buildings that match our neighborhood character—can create opportunities for teachers, families, nurses, seniors, and everyone who wants to call Oak Park home.”
Oak Park residents can take a survey on the rezoning initiative on the village’s Engage Oak Park platform.