A building permit has been filed to construct a three-unit townhome development at 329 Home Ave.
In 2022, Gary Collins, a local real estate holder, announced plans to develop the lot located next to his rental building at 327 Home Ave. in Oak Park. The lot was zoned R-5 at that time, and by right Collins could have built a single-family home or two-flat on the property. He sought to have the property classified as R-6 zoning, giving him the ability to construct up to 16 units on the property, although he expressed his commitment at the time to developing only 4 units.
Neighbors joined forces to oppose the zoning change. Many were concerned about losing green space on the block. Collins said he wanted to build something that fit in with the neighborhood and was the kind of place where people like him could live once their kids were out of the house.
In September 2022 the Oak Park Plan Commission denied the zoning amendment request. In January 2023, Collins appealed to the village board which granted his request for the zoning amendment.
This spring, a sign advertising the new townhome development went up in the empty lot. The project is being marketed by Avenue One Realty. Three townhomes were offered for sale, with pricing starting at $889,900. Each townhome will offer three bedrooms, two and one-half bathrooms and 2,350 square feet of living space.
Collins remains the lead investor in the project and worked with architect John Schiess on the design. According to Collins, from 2023 to 2026, he was being deliberate in planning the project.
“I was just being careful. I didn’t want to build something that people didn’t want,” he said.
Collins notes that some condo owners to the south of the new townhomes are upset about losing the green space but says the townhomes “are designed in a way to be as friendly as possible,” leaving space for light between the two buildings.
Two of the three units are already spoken for, with multiple parties interested in the remaining unit. Collins will live in one unit and says he is committed to enhancing the landscape and also has planned upgrades to the rental units at 327 Home.
A marketing website, www.329Home.com describes the units as luxury townhomes that will each have a rooftop media room and terrace, two-car parking spaces and the option of adding an elevator. The website’s renderings show the development will be a contemporary, wood-sided building with townhomes running from east to west on the lot.
Michael Bruce, Oak Park’s village planner, says a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) application will be required to demolish the existing garage located on the south side of the lot for the townhome development. No COA application has been filed as of press time.
Collins is hopeful that they will break ground on the project in the next two months and complete construction sometime in early 2027.
(Editor’s note: Gary Collins was a long-time member of the board of Wednesday Journal, Inc. and later of Growing Community Media, NFP)