The Site Plan and Appearance Review Committee (SPAARC) recently approved final plans for a six-unit condominium at 2536 McDaniel Ave. Dan Pontarelli, developer and president of Farmview Builders, Inc., presented material samples and made a few small adjustments to the plans for construction of the multi-family dwelling at an October meeting of SPAARC. This approval followed a preliminary site plan and appearance review on Sept. 26 and completion of a zoning analysis.
The building will be four stories tall, bordered to the north by another multi-unit building. Four two-bedroom, 1,300-square-foot units, and two two-story, three-bedroom, 1,800-square-foot units will range in price from $575,000 to $675,000.
The building will be located on the east side of McDaniel Avenue between Central and Harrison streets, less than a mile from from the Evanston Central Street Metra Station, Central Street commerce and grocery shopping. The frame house that formerly occupied the lot was demolished late last month.
The plans Mr. Pontarelli presented for the exterior lighting of the building led to a discussion of security issues. Optimum security will be achieved by illuminating the parking area with down lights mounted to the back wall of the building and coach lights at the front entry, over the parking garage and by the rear entrance. While ample exterior lighting is important for safety, the clear glass of the coach lights led Ingrid Eckersberg to question whether glare would disturb the neighbors.
In accordance with SPAARC commitment to harmonizing new developments with their surroundings, theydiscussed00 specific aspects of the proposed lighting scheme in more detail at the meeting after this possible problem was noted.
Because the most potentially obtrusive lighting will shine on the alley to the south of the building and the parking garage at the rear of the building, those areas should not be problematic.
The 100-watt bulbs in the entryway lights will be aimed down and partially encased, helping to mitigate any potential glare problems at that location, and the coach lighting on each of the balconies will be tenant-controlled, so a significant glare problem at these locations is also unlikely, the developers said.
Mr. Pontarelli showed the committee samples of the pale red brick and light gray cut stone he plans to use in the condominiums, as well as the slate for the roof. The cut stone will comprise the banding above the first floor of the building and around the entryway. He also presented an example of the proposed aluminum-clad windows.
Mr. Pontarelli said, Farmview Builders is not far enough along in the design process to announce what sustainable elements will be incorporated into the construction of the building. He said, however, that the roof of the condominium building will have R-38 insulation, a high-level insulation that will contribute to energy efficiency in the gas-heated building, as will the thermal-paned windows.