









by BRIAN NADIG

The rezoning of a 200-space parking lot in the 4900 block of West Dakin Street and the planned construction of two homes in the 6200 block of West Gregory Street are on the City Council Zoning Committee’s agenda for its meeting next week.

The parking lot is behind the former Bank of America building at 4901 W. Irving Park Road, where Binny’s Beverage Depot and Retro Fitness are to open in February. The project also includes the preservation of the bank’s second-floor theater and the opening of an Elly’s Pancake House and a Culver’s restaurant on other parcels in the block in mid-2017.

The parking lot is zoned B1-1 Neighborhood Shopping District, which does not allow liquor stores.

The parking lot would be rezoned to C1-1 Neighborhood Commercial District, which allows liquor stores and which matches the zoning of the former site of the bank. Without the zoning change, the parking lot cannot be used to fulfill the city parking requirements for the Binny’s store.

The parking lot was zoned for residential uses for decades, as the site was not rezoned when homes there were demolished around 1960 to make way for the parking. The bank, which purchased the houses, was unsuccessful in its attempt to rezone the block, but a court later granted the bank permission to have the parking lot constructed.

The committee agenda also includes the rezoning of a parcel at 6221-27 W. Gregory St., where two two-story houses would be built and where an addition is being constructed on an existing house. Plans call for the site to be rezoned from RS-2 Single-Unit District to the less restrictive RS-3, which is intended for single-family homes and two-flats.

Several residents objected to the rezoning at a community meeting due to traffic and parking concerns. However, Alderman John Arena (45th) has announced his support for the project, and the committee is expected to approve the change.

The meeting will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, in the Council Chamber at City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle St.