June 18--Palos Heights eyes Harlem Avenue rezoning
Palos Heights is looking at sprucing up its Harlem Avenue business district with zoning changes that it hopes will help attract new development and more people.
Mayor Robert Straz said the stretch of Harlem Avenue between College Drive and 127th Street was built in the 1950s and '60s, has seen few changes since and is showing its age.
The area is zoned for retail use, but "that zoning doesn't make sense any longer," Straz said, citing some vacant storefronts. "Those retail stores, the mom and pops, they're just not around anymore."
The city hired a consulting firm, Houseal Lavigne Associates, to come up with a mixed-use zoning plan for what's called the Harlem Avenue Overlay District, and the firm presented its plan to aldermen at the City Council's May 26 meeting. Straz said alderman will provide feedback on the plan at the July 7 council meeting.
Michael Parella, the city's community development coordinator, said the goal is to transform the commercial strip into a walkable area with a wider mix of businesses, more professional offices, greater public space and some upper-story residences.
It would also have some requirements regarding the appearance of new development, Parella said. He said most buildings on the street now are fairly basic, and while the city won't mandate a specific look, it does plan to set requirements to bring in a more varied and modern design.
Parella said the proposal also suggests reducing businesses' parking requirements because Palos Heights now requires businesses to offer more parking than many other towns do.
He and Straz said one section of Harlem Avenue that reflects the type of changes the city wants is Palos Place. Straz said the mixed retail and residential development at the site of the former Ben Franklin store is expected to be complete in about a month.
Parella said the city hopes to encourage similar projects, with Straz saying he wants to open the stretch up to more service businesses and restaurants without making developers jump through hoops by requesting exemptions from retail zoning.
If the proposed plan for Harlem Avenue is approved by aldermen, Parella warned that the changes won't come overnight. But Straz said he would hope to see some new development by the end of the year, potentially filling in some of the empty storefronts.
Parella said they've heard little from residents so far, but the response from city officials has been positive.
"I think everyone recognizes the need for a new approach. There's a little to lose and a lot to gain," he said.
lzumbach@tribpub.com
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