EDISON PARK — Plans to build 82 apartments appear to be moving forward in Edison Park despite pushback from neighbors.
Developer Valdir Barion wants to construct two apartment buildings at 6750 N. Northwest Highway, the former M.J. Suerth Funeral Home property. Designs show two four-story buildings, each with 41 apartments, 41 parking spaces and a courtyard.
The 41st Ward Zoning Advisory Committee unanimously approved the project during a Monday night meeting following months of tense discussions among neighbors.
The group’s recommendation will now go to Ald. Anthony Napolitano (41st) for review. Napolitano said he will spend the next few weeks considering the proposal and talking to neighbors before issuing his recommendation.
The alderman’s final decision will be included as a letter when the project goes before the City Council for a zoning change.
Monday marked the third committee meeting about the project in the past six months, drawing hundreds of neighbors to weigh in and pushing the developer to overhaul the plans.
Neighbors blasted a previous version of the project in October for being too big and not having enough parking.
After that, Barion hired a new architect to redesign the development and reduce the number of three-bedroom apartments. That was enough to generate more support from neighbors who thought it would revitalize the area. Others still felt the building was too big and pushed back on having so many new rental units.
Several attendees continued to oppose the project Monday and, at times, took to shouting.
“You’re not listening to anybody,” resident Maureen McMullen yelled shortly before the Zoning Advisory Committee voted. “Why don’t we get to vote?”
McMullen lives two blocks from the project location, and parking is already an issue in the area, she said. Her block has permit parking, “but it doesn’t matter, people park wherever they want,” she said. She also felt 82 apartments is too many for a 1-acre lot.
Thirty-two of the parking spaces will be partially covered outdoor spaces, and 52 will be indoor garage parking. Each building will have its own garage on the first floor, as well as a bike storage room and a rooftop deck, Barion said in March.
Rents will range from $1,885-$2,552 for a one-bedroom apartment to about $3,770 for a three-bedroom.
When a resident asked to hear Napolitano’s “take” on the project, the alderman said he was glad the developer was meeting with neighbors instead of just going to City Hall for approval.
“Something’s going to be built whether we like it or not,” Napolitano told the audience. “I’m hoping you guys in the room can figure out something that works for our neighborhood, because if it goes Downtown [to City Council], it’s not going to be what you want.”
Zoning committee Chairman Mike Emerson said it’s estimated the site will go from generating about $28,000 in property taxes annually to about $700,000 if the project is built.
“That’s a pretty remarkable investment in the community,” Emerson said.
Each apartment building will also include ground-floor retail space. Barion previously told Block Club he had spoken with a breakfast place and a sushi restaurant about potentially becoming tenants. He envisions having one commercial tenant per building.
The building does not include any designated retail parking. Neighbors have said they are worried customers and employees would fill nearby residential streets.
On Monday, neighbor Judy Kavathas suggested the developer eliminate the retail altogether and use the space to add more parking. The area already has enough empty storefronts, she said.
Edison Park has lost multiple neighborhood staples in recent years. In 2021, Zia’s Trattoria moved to Norwood Park after 25 years in Edison Park. The Curragh Irish pub, Que Onda and Giordano’s pizzeria, which were owned by the same people and were on the same strip, all closed after the owner sold the building last year.
Maureen Neylon, who has lived in Edison Park for 30 years, said the new apartments could help bring life back to the area.
“This place is becoming a ghost town,” Neylon said. “My 27-year-old son came through here a couple of weeks ago, and the first thing he said was, ‘Mom, what happened to downtown Edison Park? Where are all the restaurants?’”
Young families that in years past would have moved to Edison Park are instead going to places like Park Ridge, Neylon said.
“You have to be open to the neighborhood changing,” Neylon said.
Committee member Frank Icuss agreed.
“Either we have to decide that Edison Park is going to shrivel up and die … or we take a risk on” the development, Icuss said.
If the project receives all the necessary city approvals and permits, Barion has said he hopes to start construction on the first building in spring 2025. Work on the second building will begin once the first building is complete.
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