Empowering Northwest Evanston Residents
Northwest Evanston Neighbors
PLEASE ATTEND
A meeting to learn more about a planned redevelopment of Westminster Place:
Wednesday, October 21
6:00 p.m.
Caldwell Hall
Westminster Place
- Recently, Westminster Place announced a comprehensive planned redevelopment of their 40 acre property in our neighborhood. This project will dramatically impact our neighborhood and we want to make certain that it is a win-win development for both Westminster Place and for our neighborhood.
- In 2010-2011, Westminster Place also proposed a massive, 20-year re-development. The plan would have eliminated the remaining green space between Westminster Place facilities (something they had previously agreed to never eliminate) and our neighborhood. It would have resulted in 54 large 3 ½ story tall “snout houses” (where the garage is the dominant feature at the front of the home) and a 4-story apartment building at the corner of Grant and Lawndale. Other changes were also proposed.
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- Needless to say, that plan would have dramatically changed the character of our neighborhood – and not for the better. Fortunately, our community was able to effectively organize and the project was abandoned.
- We understand that Westminster Place needs to upgrade some of its facilities, and we want them to be successful, but those upgrades and their success should NOT come at our expense. We neighbors should not be expected to pay a significant price in quality of life and reduced property values so that a large, wealthy institution and developers can make more money.
- We ask that:
- o Westminster Place provide adequate notice (at least two weeks) for meetings about this project.
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- o Be transparent and provide whatever renderings or plans they have to date for the property. We know they have been working with outside consultants more than a year and have hired former City of Evanston employees to help push this through.
- o Present a development plan that:
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- -- Is compatible with the longtime commitment of providing a green buffer along all sides of the property.
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- -- Reduces density
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- -- Respects the original mission for which the development was initially approved - to provide a home for the aged
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- -- Is compatible with our neighborhood and existing homes
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- -- Is developed over a limited number of years to minimize disruption, construction noise and construction traffic that threatens the quality of life and property values in our neighborhood.
- We believe that beginning with these steps would help us achieve an effective working relationship and get to win-win in a much easier manner.