Northbrook Row developer says 1825 Shermer Road is ‘a great alternative to what’s there now’ – Chicago Tribune

A residential development called Northbrook Row by Lexington Homes, LLC is back at 1825 Shermer Road in Northbrook.

Proposed is a revised 53-unit multi-family residential subdivision on the east side of Shermer Road along Stanley Street. The 4.69-acre property is located along a commercial industrial park and Shermer Place subdivision and requires zoning assistance from Lexington Homes of Chicago.

Rowhomes will make up the majority of the project, said Nate Wynsma, vice president of purchasing and planning for Lexington Homes.

“We are very excited,” Wynsma told the Pioneer Press. “This (Northbrook Row) is a great new construction alternative to what’s there now, Shermer Place is right next door. I think it would be a good complement to what exists today.

“We hope to build a good relationship with the association and connect these two communities, especially our sidewalks, our streetscapes and other things,” Wynsma said of collaborating with Shermer Place residents.

“What we’ve found as a company in a lot of the developments we’ve done downtown is that the more rooftops there are, compared to some downtowns, the more population there is downtown, fueling businesses, fueling that kind of atmosphere 24/7. Wynsma kind of shuts down when business hours are over.” “It’s getting quieter,” he added.

“It’s nice to see people walking their dogs, going to and from restaurants, so I think it’s good for Northbrook, downtown and the economy as a whole. I think it’s a nice housing alternative that doesn’t currently exist in Northbrook,” Wynsma said.

On Feb. 13, the Northbrook Village Board of Trustees viewed Lexington Homes’ final renderings for Northbrook Row as a preliminary review.

The land included a one-story, 106,000-square-foot Maurice sporting goods warehouse and industrial building that was demolished by Lexington Homes two years ago. The site is currently fenced, locked and vacant.

In 2015, the Board of Trustees considered a 40-unit townhome development by The Jacobs Companies, LLC.

Then in 2022, Lexington Homes proposed a 53-unit townhome development, but returned this month with an amended proposal, still offering 53 units, with mews townhomes priced from $500,000 to $600,000 and townhouses priced from $700,000 to $600,000 . $800,000 price point.

Ten townhouse buildings each contain four to eight units. Each townhome will have two or three bedrooms, two or three bathrooms, a private entrance, a detached or two-car garage, and some units will have a private backyard.

Private roads and a large retention pond on the west side of the property, similar to the retention pond north of Shermer Place, are proposed.

Lexington Homes is offering an alternative compliance method for the 15% affordable housing requirement by proposing 49 market rate units requiring 7.35 affordable units as a 15% calculation for this size development.

Lexington Homes wants to build four affordable housing units and pay $500,000 for four additional affordable units, bringing the total number of units on the site to 53.

Northbrook Row seems “a little too busy,” Northbrook Village Trustee Johannah K. Hebl said.

“We don’t allow densities to increase when you buy your way out of affordable housing,” Hebl said. “As far as eight (affordable housing units), I would like to see you build that.

“I think we’ll allow density if you build it, and if you’re not going to build affordable housing or you can’t for some financial reason, then I think density should go much lower, but I would prefer that, and I think our board would direct you to build that,” Hebl said. He also stated: “I would like to see some more green space.”

Trustee Joy U. Ebhomielen warned Lexington Homes: “I’m not the law of the land, but you can’t choose to take the fee instead, because.”

“Just giving us money is not going to create more affordable housing in Northbrook if we don’t start building places with affordable housing, so we have to start building that,” Trustee Michelle Z. Kohler said.

Northbrook Village President Kathryn L. Ciesla has repeatedly stated publicly that private roads serving previous developments have returned to the village as a problem. Private roads may be very narrow, may not allow adequate snow storage due to plowing problems, and may be difficult for emergency vehicles to navigate. Visitor parking overflow can cause problems if residents host holiday guests and extended family for celebrations.

Trustee Hebl said Northbrook Metra parking lots offer free parking after 10 a.m. on weekdays and free parking on federal holidays and weekends as a parking option for drivers visiting Northbrook Row or other neighborhoods along the Shermer Road residential and retail corridor reminded.

Ciesla said: “The history of contractors wanting private roads on the board has been received extremely negatively because I understand that the village will never have to undertake the maintenance but I don’t know that that is a promise that anyone could reasonably make.”

“I want to know why they (Lexington) can’t build these,” Ciesla said of the affordable housing fee instead of the actual construction of the four units.

After the meeting, Wynsma said the affordable housing fee in lieu of the proposal is not unreasonable and would give the village the freedom to work with affordable housing experts who can maximize housing dollars with subsidies by collaborating with state agencies.

“They can use that fee instead to provide single-family single-family homes or other types of housing in Northbrook,” Wynsma said. “My concern is, are we only finding affordable housing in new construction communities and nowhere else?”

Trustees opted to move the Northbrook Row proposal to a joint meeting between the Northbrook Plan Commission and the Board of Trustees, but Lexington Homes had to formally apply first.

OTHER BOARD OF TRUSTEES NEWS

The village is transferring $2 million to police and firefighters’ retirement funds ($1 million to each fund) to reduce unfunded liabilities.

Also coming to Northbrook are two new businesses. The opening date is unknown, but expect to see the Market Fresh grocery store at 163 Skokie Blvd. and the Barnes & Noble bookstore at 45 Skokie Blvd.

Residents are also reminded to bring their own reusable bags to avoid paying the 10-cent disposable bag tax. The bag tax went into effect last January 1 at Northbrook’s major retail locations.

Karie Angell Luc is a freelancer for Pioneer Press.