360 Apartments Could Transform Downtown Evanston. A Key City Review Happens Today
EVANSTON— One of Downtown Evanston’s largest proposed residential projects reaches an important stage in the city approval process today.
The proposal at 900 Clark Street calls for a 26-story mixed-use tower with 360 apartments, approximately 2,484 square feet of ground-floor commercial space and 112 off-site parking spaces. The building would rise to about 298 feet at the northwest portion of Church Street Plaza near Clark Street and Maple Avenue.
Today, October 26, the project is scheduled for review by Evanston’s Planning & Development Committee and introduction to the City Council. The City of Evanston identifies those meetings as the next steps in the approval process.
That distinction is important.
900 Clark is proposed, not approved for construction. Today’s meetings move the application forward for additional consideration, but they do not mean a 360-unit tower is guaranteed to be built.
What’s Proposed at 900 Clark Street?
The development would modify an existing planned development covering the northern portion of Church Street Plaza at 900 Clark Street, 1701-1765 Maple Avenue and 901-921 Church Street.
A rendering showing the proposed 900 Clark tower to the left of the existing 28-story Optima Views high rise at 1720 Maple Ave. Credit: Antunovich Associates
CSP Evanston Land, LLC is seeking permission for a 26-story building containing 360 rental homes above a relatively small ground-floor commercial component. Because the property is in Evanston’s Research Park zoning district, the developer is requesting a height allowance to reach 298 feet, nearly double the district’s standard 150-foot maximum.
The current proposal does not include a traditional parking garage inside the tower. Instead, 112 spaces would be reserved off-site, using the nearby Maple Avenue parking garage.
Separate reporting based on the current development plans shows a mix of studios, convertible apartments, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom homes, with 72 of the 360 units planned as affordable housing.
That mix is significant because a project of this size could add rental choices for several different types of Downtown Evanston residents rather than relying entirely on one-bedroom apartments.
The Project Has Already Cleared One Important Review
Today is not the project's first public hearing.
Evanston’s Land Use Commission initially considered the proposal on September 9, but the hearing was continued after a request from nearby property owners. When the commission returned to the project on September 23, members voted 4-1 to recommend approval to the City Council.
Public discussion has included concerns about the proposed tower’s height, shadows, wind, traffic and effects on neighboring properties. The Land Use Commission’s recommendation does not eliminate those issues from the city’s review.
It simply moves the proposal to the next level.
The Planning & Development Committee, which is made up of City Council members, handles planning, zoning, physical development and housing matters before projects proceed through the council process.
So today is meaningful, but it is not the same as a groundbreaking announcement.
Why 360 Apartments Here Could Matter for Downtown Evanston
The location may be as important as the number of apartments.
900 Clark sits within Downtown Evanston, surrounded by restaurants, entertainment, retail and other residential buildings. The site is also near both CTA and Metra service.
The Davis Purple Line station at 1612 Benson Avenue connects riders through Evanston and to Howard, with weekday rush-period Purple Line Express service continuing toward Downtown Chicago. CTA also identifies direct connections from Davis to the Metra Union Pacific North Line and several CTA and Pace bus routes.
That makes 900 Clark fundamentally different from a large apartment project built around highway access.
Residents could potentially reach restaurants, coffee shops, entertainment and commuter rail without relying on a car for every trip.
And the project's relatively limited parking is clearly part of that downtown, transit-oriented equation.
For relocation clients considering the North Shore, that is one of the characteristics that distinguishes Downtown Evanston from many traditional suburban locations: it combines a suburban address with an urban-style concentration of housing, transit and everyday amenities.
More Rentals Could Add Another Option for People Who Want Downtown Living
If approved and eventually built, 360 apartments would represent a substantial addition to Evanston’s rental inventory.
That could be particularly relevant for people who want to live near Downtown but are not ready to purchase a condo or single-family home.
Someone relocating from Chicago might value access to the Purple Line and Metra while wanting to move farther north. A Northwestern employee or graduate student might prioritize walking and transit. An empty nester could want a downtown apartment without maintaining a larger home.
The proposed mix of studios through three-bedroom units could serve several of those groups.
But buyers should also pay attention.
Additional rental housing can change how a downtown district functions, bringing more residents within walking distance of restaurants, stores, cultural destinations and transit. That does not mean the project would automatically increase nearby property values, and it would be premature to predict that.
The more useful takeaway is that more full-time residents can change the amount of everyday activity surrounding Downtown Evanston businesses and public spaces.
What Happens After Today?
The Planning & Development Committee is scheduled to review the application today, while the project is also being introduced to City Council.
Ultimately, City Council is the determining body for this case, according to Evanston’s official project page.
That means there are still decisions to be made before construction could begin.
The project’s characteristics could also change as it moves through the planned development amendment process. Evanston specifically notes that development details may continue to evolve during review.
For now, the important facts are straightforward:
360 apartments are proposed. The Land Use Commission has recommended approval. A key committee review and City Council introduction happen today. But the tower is not yet approved for construction.
That makes 900 Clark one of the most important Downtown Evanston developments to watch as the city decides how much new housing should be added around its transit-rich core.
Considering Downtown Evanston or the North Shore?
New development is only one part of evaluating a community.
The Cory Tanzer Group at Option Premier helps buyers, renters and relocation clients compare housing options, transit, nearby development, walkability and everyday neighborhood amenities throughout Evanston and the North Shore.
For anyone considering a property near an active development site, understanding what is proposed, approved and actually being built can be just as important as understanding today’s sale price.
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