LITTLE VILLAGE — When city officials recently approved changes to the massive warehouse Hilco Redevelopment Partners is building, they characterized the development as having “minor changes.”
One of those changes involves a 303,099-square-foot mezzanine the architect “mistakenly” forgot to include in several versions of the plans city leaders previously endorsed, officials say.
The controversial warehouse at 3501 S. Pulaski Road will now be 1,326,566 square feet — up from the original plan of 1,023,467 square feet, according to the amended Planned Development approved last month.
The city’s planning department approved the project with the smaller square footage in 2018. The just-approved development includes the previously omitted mezzanine, making the original plan larger by nearly one-third.
“With regards to your request, the Department of Planning and Development has determined that allowing these modifications will not create an adverse impact on the Planned Development or surrounding neighborhood, will not result in an increase in the bulk or density and will not change the character of the development, and therefore would constitute a minor change,” a city official wrote in approving the changes.
Asked about the discrepancy, Peter Strazzabosco, a spokesman for the Department of Planning and Development, said the “area was mistakenly omitted due to an architect’s calculation error.” The new area is allowed under the terms of the Planned Development.
“Zoning staff discovered the omission and the total square footage was formally identified in the minor amendment documentation,” Strazzabosco said.
City officials did not respond to a question about when the discrepancy was discovered or why it wasn’t found during the review process for the warehouse in 2018.
“As minor changes, they do not require City Council approval as a [Planned Development] amendment,” Strazzabosco said.
Cornerstone Architects, which designed the building, did not return requests for comment.
Last week, Ald. Michael Rodriguez (22nd) announced truck traffic would be restricted from going to residential areas at the site. Changes to traffic patterns and the removal of a fuel tank on the property were among the changes approved after pressure from community members.
Read all of Block Club’s Crawford coverage here.
Do stories like this matter to you? Subscribe to Block Club Chicago. Every dime we make funds reporting from Chicago’s neighborhoods.
Already subscribe? Click here to support Block Club with a tax-deductible donation.