Construction of a new condominium building on a section of the Lake Bluff property commonly known as Block 3 may start this summer as the village board has signed off on the proposal.
On Feb. 10, village board trustees initially approved a plan from local developers Peter Witmer and Todd Altounian for a new building at 120 E. Scranton Avenue on the site where a long-shuttered bank now sits. (A vote for final approval was scheduled for the board’s Feb. 24 meeting. The item was listed on the consent agenda where topics are rarely debated by the board.)
At the Feb.10 meeting, Witmer showcased details for a two-story building that will be as high as 35 feet. The condominium will feature three or four units on each floor with rooftop decks accessible from the second floor.
“It is a pretty significant outdoor space,” Witmer said. “What we found is people who are looking for these kind of units want significant outdoor space. This is a way to provide that.”
Witmer said there would be underground parking along with five additional parking spaces on Oak Avenue and two others on Scranton Avenue.
Late last year, the village board approved the concept of the plan and since then the developers revised some details along the lines of building materials, site plan and landscape design.
“We are very excited about the design,” Witmer said.
The developers requested zoning variations and modifications since the building exceeded the village’s maximum height of 30 feet and had residential use on the first floor.
Witmer said the condominium unit cost will be approximately $1,000 per square foot as the apartments will range from 2,300 to 4,000 square feet. He said three of the units have already sold and he anticipated two additional sales would close soon.
Witmer predicted demolition of the bank building in May leading to construction of the condominium starting this summer leading to resident occupancy sometime in the fall of 2026.
Several village advisory boards recommended approval of the proposal over the last few months, according to village documents.
Seeking one last village action, Witmer said he is scheduled to appear before the village’s Architectural Board of Review on March 4 to review some of the revised building details.
As for the other portion of Block 3 at the northwest corner of Evanston Avenue and Scranton Avenues, Village Administrator Drew Irvin said the property owners remain interested in developing the lots into a multi-family building.
Irvin said he spoke recently with an architect retained for the project who informed him a zoning petition is being drafted, but it would not be ready for the village’s March Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals meeting.
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In separate action at the Feb. 10 meeting, the village board approved amended contracts for both Village Administrator Drew Irvin and Police Chief Matt Smizinski.
Under the amended employment agreements, Irvin’s annual salary will move up to $265,127 and Smizinski’s salary will go to $162,031.
Irvin began working in Lake Bluff on Jan. 1, 2008. Smizinski was promoted to police chief in June 2022.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
