Members of the LGBTQ+ advocacy group Evanston Pride gathered with other community members at Few Spirits, 918 Chicago Ave., the evening of Oct. 11 to celebrate National Coming Out Day. More than a dozen people of varying ages attended the event, which organizers intended as a “safe space” where participants could speak and ask questions […]
Author Archives: Matt Simonette
Posted inCity News
City panel approves fewer but larger units in 1900 Emerson high-rise
The Design and Plan Review Committee (DAPR) approved a few changes to The Emerson, a mixed-income senior development at 1900 Emerson St.., on Sept. 29. “A lot of this is standard design and development changes as we go from conceptual design … into design development,” said Bill James of Camiros, Ltd., a Chicago-based planning consultancy […]
Posted inCity News
City officials and McGaw YMCA CEO brief Council on housing proposals
Members of the Evanston City Council heard updates on local projects geared toward expanding access to affordable housing in Evanston at its Sept. 20 special meeting. The presentations also addressed actions made necessary thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as an upcoming proposal to renovate housing facilities at the McGaw YMCA. Sarah Flax, the […]
Posted inArt & Life
Taste of Armenia returns to downtown Evanston
Gary Rejebian, who is both an active member of and festival cultural chairman for St. James Armenian Church, 816 Clark St., called his church community’s efforts at staying active during the COVID-19 pandemic “a very long road.” Like many religious organizations, St. James adapted its service-schedule according to prescribed safety protocols. “But what people don’t […]
Posted inCity News
Plan Commission sends Chicago Avenue proposal to Council
Members of the Evanston Plan Commission on Aug. 12 unanimously approved a proposal asking for a number of variances for a planned development at 1012 Chicago Avenue, between Main and Greenleaf streets. Approvals came from Board Chair Jeanne Lindwall and Commissioners George Halik, Kristine Westerberg and Matt Rodgers. The project’s developers, Chicago-based MCZ Development, requested […]
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Organization leads tour of local ADUs
Members of Evanston Development Cooperative led several dozen community members on a tour of various accessory dwelling units (ADUs) the afternoon of July 31. The tour began outside Noir d’Ébène Chocolat et Pâtisserie, 1309 Chicago Ave., and ended at Nichols Middle School, 800 Greenleaf St., which is close to several ADUs. The ADU concept has […]
Posted inCity News
Plan Commission advances ADU moratorium proposal
The Evanston Plan Commission, by a 3-2 vote, advanced a proposal that would impose a six-month moratorium on permitting and construction of non-owner occupied accessory dwelling units (ADUs). The proposal, stemming from a June 28 referral by the city’s Planning & Development Committee, rose from a growing concern by community members that absentee landlords would […]
Posted inCity News
‘3-unrelated’ Commission Hearing Ends in Tie
The Evanston Plan Commision reached a split vote July 14 after hearing a proposal that would both eliminate the word “family” from the City’s zoning ordinances and repeal a rule prohibiting more than three unrelated persons sharing a living space. With the split vote, the repeal next heads to the Evanston Planning and Development Committee […]
Posted inCity News
Plan Commission Opens ‘Live-Work’ Discussions
The Evanston Plan Commission on July 14 returned an omnibus proposal allowing so-called live-work units in the C2 zoning district so City Staff could clarify its own suggestions for amending the relevant ordinances. The initial portion of the proposal came from local real estate developer Andrew Spatz, who has already developed similar live-work spaces in […]
Posted inArt & Life
Proudly Braving the Elements: Evanston Pride Parade Kicks Off
Though Mother Nature threw a few curve balls this weekend, Evanston Pride, Inc. nevertheless staged its LGBTQ Pride Parade the afternoon of Saturday, June 26. The organization’s planned picnic and candle-lighting ceremony will be rescheduled thanks to the region’s inclement weather, but organizers were determined to let the parade proceed as scheduled, despite a heavy […]