The city's Zoning Board of Appeals yesterday rejected construction of a large apartment building in the midst of a historic Elmwood Village neighborhood.
Developer and architect Karl Frizlen wanted to put a building with 26 accessible apartment units and 57 parking spaces in the basement into a space zoned for 13 units. It's now open land with a house and a car repair shop which the developer says has polluted the site and will require cleanup.
The $10 million project was before the Zoning Board because it needed a variance to allow the 26 units in a very long structure.
Frizlen says replacing the car shop with housing is a gain.
"I would assume that nobody would object that taking an automotive repair shop with a large gravel yard in the middle of a mature residential neighborhood is not consistent and out of synch with neighborhood character," Frizlen said.
"The use is non-compliant with current zoning law and removal will repair the street credits and make it aesthetically consistent with the neighborhood."
Neighborhood opponents of the plan packed the small hearing room used by the Zoning Board, arguing everything from the safety of kids playing in the streets of a residential neighborhood to the new building overloading sewer lines.
Board Member Anthony Diina moved the denial, arguing it violated the neighborhood character.
