A complicated chapter of village history may be coming to a close as the developers of the so-called One Winnetka site have received crucial approval from the Winnetka Village Council.
Nearly 10 years after the initial introduction of plans to redevelop the vacant downtown property, on April 2 village trustees unanimously signed off on a preliminary planned development presented by the Murphy Development Group, who represented the property owner.
The approved proposal is highlighted by up to 59 residential apartments ranging from one to three bedrooms (plus dens) with nearly 21,000 square feet of commercial space on the street level at the southeast corner of Lincoln Avenue and Elm Street. Plus there would be 152 parking spaces, 39 at ground level and 113 underground.
This plan closely resembles what was introduced to the village council in January 2023. However, some tweaks were made allowing limited opportunities for medical and financial services businesses on the ground floor.
Both the village’s Planned Development Commission and the Design Review Board recommended approval in 2023.
This proposed development would replace the vacant spaces currently on a main location in downtown Winnetka.
“We’ve seen a lot of ideas and I think this is the best idea that I have seen for this site and the best solution,” Village President Chris Rintz said at a previous meeting.
The developers still need to get final approval and building permits before construction can begin, according to Community Development Director David Schoon.
“Our goal would be breaking ground in early 2025 if not a little bit sooner,” said Murphy’s Deirdre Clein. She cautioned the projected timeline is tentative.
Clein then envisioned a 17 month construction period.
“Good luck,” Rintz said at the end of the meeting. “Go build something.”
John Phelan, president of the 711 Oak condominium association, endorsed the proposal for the site.
“We are all in on this,” he said. “We look forward to our new neighbors and a vast improvement in the Lincoln/Elm area.”
The various ideas for the site have been a source of controversy in Winnetka for years dating back to when an initial plan was introduced in 2015, leading to a lawsuit involving the previous ownership teams and developers. The lawsuit was settled in 2021 creating the path toward the latest iteration.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.
