The planned high-rise at 900 Clark Street in downtown Evanston is going on a height diet, with developers rolling out a slightly shorter, slightly denser version of the project that still looms large over the future of Church Street Plaza.
The revised plan cuts the building to 26 stories and 298 feet, while bumping the total to 360 apartments and shrinking the ground-floor retail to about 2,400 square feet, according to Chicago YIMBY. The update keeps 72 units designated as affordable and lays out a mix of 101 studios, 92 convertibles, 104 one-bedrooms, 54 two-bedrooms, and nine three-bedrooms. The glass-clad tower, designed by Antunovich Associates, would not have on-site parking; instead, residents would use reserved spaces in a garage across the street.
To make way for the project, developers would clear out the northern end of Church Street Plaza, demolishing five screens at the AMC Evanston 12 along with the former Chili’s that shuttered in December, as reported by Evanston Now. That reporting noted that Chili’s employees were notified of the closure in early December and that Dogtopia is relocating elsewhere within downtown as tenants shuffle ahead of possible redevelopment. Continuum Development, which bought Church Street Plaza last year, is leading the application, according to Connect CRE.
Where It Stands With The City
The proposal still needs City Council approval. It is slated to go before the Planning & Development Committee and the full City Council on Monday, April 27, 2026, with agenda materials expected to be posted April 24, according to the City of Evanston. A council vote will be the last local sign-off required before any demolition or building permits can move ahead.
What Changed and What Was Planned Before
Developers shaved off one floor but slightly widened the building to keep its overall density, tweaking an earlier version that showed a 27-story tower with roughly 358 units and about 2,900 to 3,000 square feet of retail space. Those initial renderings and counts surfaced when the project first went public, as reported by Urbanize Chicago.
Community Reaction and Design Review
Design-review members and downtown stakeholders have already been in the room with the development team, weighing in on scale, materials and changes to the public realm, including a plan to widen the sidewalk at Maple and Clark. Meeting notes and coverage show that neighbors and local groups have raised concerns about displacement, shadows and traffic as the project has inched forward, according to Design Evanston.
If the council introduces and ultimately signs off on the planned development, the team would move into demolition, permitting and construction planning. Chicago YIMBY reports that no construction timeline has been announced yet. Public hearings and committee votes leading up to the council meeting will offer residents formal chances to weigh in.
The 900 Clark proposal is the latest major project to stir debate in downtown Evanston over growth and the future of street-level retail, and the planned 72 affordable apartments are expected to be front and center in next week’s discussions. Residents keeping score will want to watch the City Council docket and meeting packet for the detailed application that will frame how council members approach the decision.
