Austin Guards

Dedicated to preserving and protecting Austin Gardens

in Oak Park, IL

Will ANOTHER HIGH RISE lead to lower taxes? We don't think so, and either do the experts. Read our report.

Sign the change.org petition here!

TRUSTEES ARE VOTING OCTOBER 2! Use our information to send them an email to say NO!

Oak Park residents gave many compelling arguments against the Albion proposal at the August 3 Plan Commission meeting. Read a summary here.

To contact President Anan Abu-Taleb, call 708.358.5797 or email mayoranan@oak-park.us.

To contact Trustee Deno Andrews, call 708.358.5788 or email trusteeandrews@oak-park.us.

To contact Trustee Simone Boutet, call 708.358.5787 or email trusteeboutet@oak-park.us.

To contact Trustee Dan Moroney, call 708.358.5789 or email trusteemoroney@oak-park.us.

To contract Trustee Andrea Button, call 708.358.5796 or email trusteebutton@oak-park.us.

To contact Trustee James Taglia, call 708.358.5794 or email trusteetaglia@oak-park.us.

To contact Trustee Robert Tucker, call 708.358.5793 or email trusteetucker@oak-park.us.

Albion is asking for a height variance as well as setback variances. As of now, the site is zoned for an 80' building and 40 residences. They are asking for 198' & 265 residences.

Developers want a zoning variance to build an 18 story tower at 1000 Lake St. Currently it is zoned for 80 feet. According to the village website: "An applicant for a Planned Development typically is seeking relief from some aspect of the Zoning Ordinance such as height or set-back requirements. The applicant must demonstrate that the Village will receive compensating benefits in return for zoning relief. Conditions are negotiated between the landowner and the Village Board on a case-by-case basis."

It is the strong belief of the Austin Guards that the building planned for 1000 Lake Street does not offer compensating benefits for our village.

More Info

After reading the Comprehensive Plan, it becomes more obvious that this development is NOT ALIGNED with its stated goals for our village.

What You Can Do

EMAIL the TRUSTEES, addresses above!
ATTEND meetings!
Like & follow the Austin Guards on Facebook to stay up-to-date with what's going on
Contact austinguards@gmail.com to volunteer or help with this effort.

Effects on the Garden

The height of a new building is of concern. Shadow studies conducted have concluded that building a structure of more than 80 feet will have an impact on the amount of sun entering into Austin Gardens resulting in negative impact to mature trees and other vegetation. Without adequate sunlight, mature trees will die over time and grass and other plants will not grow. Parts of the park could be in shade 11 months of the year!

Based on per capita national standards, the Park District of Oak Park should provide at least 500 acres of recreation space for a population the size of the Village of Oak Park. As it is now, our community of over 52,000 residents has only 82.5 acres of park land. Every foot is precious.

Effects on Downtown

The new Vantage building has created a wind tunnel on Forest Avenue, an effect that would only be exacerbated by another tall tower. Traffic on Lake Street is already consistently backed up--with two more large buildings going in near Harlem, is this really the best place for another high-density building?

Are High Rises Our Only Option for Development?

Absolutely not! While density is desirable from both an economic and environmental standpoint, high rises aren't the only answer. Read this article for a compelling argument for lower buildings that references cities like Washington, DC, and New Orleans.

The Greater Downtown Master Plan was adopted in 2005. Read all about the plan for "Founder's Square" at 1000 Lake St. Some highlights are found here:

To read the whole plan, click here.

OP Master.docx

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