The preliminary design of an apartment tower planned just west of the Division and Ashland intersection. View Full Caption Wallin Gomez Architects

WICKER PARK — A 16-story, 135-unit apartment tower is being proposed for Wicker Park near Ashland Avenue and Division Street.

RDM Development's proposal, submitted to a city zoning committee last week, calls for a concrete, aluminum and glass tower named Vision II. The new building would offer 26 studios, 66 one-bedroom units and 38 two-bedroom apartments.

Anchored by 9,000 square-feet of retail, Vision II would feature a rooftop deck (half of which would be a green roof), a pool, a fitness room, dog run, 151 parking spots that would be shared with the neighboring apartments and 50 bike parking spaces, plans by Wallin Gomez architects show.

The project would be next to another 33-unit building named Vision I that RDM Development completed in 2010 at 1624 W. Division St.

RDM Development President Robert Mosky told Crain's, which first reported the proposal, that if a zoning change is granted by the city and the project gets financing, he aims to break ground next summer.

Last fall, members of the Wicker Park Committee's Preservation and Development subcommittee voted 5-0 against an earlier proposal for the site, citing traffic issues. At that time, the proposed building was 12 stories, four fewer than what is now being proposed.

On Thursday, Ed Tamminga, chairman of the Wicker Park Committee's Preservation and Development subcommittee, said that he and others were surprised that plans for the larger project were submitted to the city after the earlier opposition by the community.

The community group's subcommittee "has repeatedly rejected Mr. Mosky’s proposal" to build a larger building, Tamminga said in an email.

"The last design which was turned away by the committee was for a 12-story tower. He apparently is now proposing a 16-story tower," Tamminga said, adding that the developer did not reach out to the group ahead of the rezoning request submitted to the city.

Efforts by DNAinfo Chicago to reach Ald. Joe Moreno (1st) were not immediately successful.

Mosky was not available for comment early Thursday.

Jim Panella, asset manager for RDM Development, said that he and Mosky are "waiting for feedback" from the city's Planning Department to see if any adjustments are needed.

"Once all that is resolved, we will go in front of the city for approval hopefully in 90-120 days," Panella said, adding, "We are excited to see the finished product of all the development currently going on near the Polish Triangle and can't wait to add our own ideas to it. It will really show why Wicker Park is one of the best areas in Chicago."

In addition to Mosky's proposal, there is a 60-unit apartment building underway at 1660 W. Division St. and another 200 residences planned — a mix of townhomes, apartments and condos — for the 1600 block of West Division Street and the 1200 block of North Milwaukee Avenue. Both of those projects, from developer Centrum Partners, got approval from the city and community groups.

John McLinden, a partner with Centrum Partners, told Crain's that there is enough renter demand to support the planned tower by RDM Development.

"From the demand I see in this neighborhood, no, I'm not concerned about it," McLinden said. "Logan Square is more of a concern — demand probably isn't as strong, and there are a lot more units coming online up there."

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