The Evanston City Council on Monday voted to move ahead with a five-story, 30-unit apartment building at 1103–1105 Emerson Street, siding with the developer over objections from the neighboring Ebenezer A.M.E. Church. The approval grants the major zoning variations the project needs to proceed, with Ald. Clare Kelly casting the only vote against it.
Council Signs Off After Heated Testimony
The 5-1 vote followed a tense public hearing where church members and preservation advocates warned the project could damage a century-old landmark and destabilize its congregation. Longtime member Priscilla Giles blasted the plan as “a disgrace next to a historical landmark Black church over 100 years old,” while Pastor Deborah Y. Scott told officials the congregation was still worried about construction impacts and whether protections would actually be enforced, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Protections and Good-Neighbor Requirements
To calm some of those fears, council members tied their approval to a detailed ordinance and a good-neighbor agreement that bind the developer, PM Properties, to a slate of protections for Ebenezer A.M.E. The conditions include a pre-construction survey documenting the church’s existing condition, vibration monitoring during demolition and excavation, professional rodent abatement, a stormwater management plan, a 24-hour construction contact, replacement of a 4-foot fence with a 6-foot privacy fence along the church property line, and a ban on amplified sound on the rooftop deck.
The ordinance also requires three on-site inclusionary housing units and makes permits contingent on the developer complying with all listed conditions, as outlined in the City of Evanston memo.
Affordability, Dissent and an Unclear Timeline
Supporters on the council argued the building would add relatively lower-cost two-bedroom apartments in a city where family-sized units are tough to afford. Fifth Ward Ald. Bobby Burns said one of the inclusionary two-bedrooms is expected to rent for roughly $1,100 a month at 40% of area median income. Kelly countered that she could not back the ordinance in its current form and held firm as the sole “no” vote. Council members did not set a start date for construction, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Preservation Fears Linger Next Door
The city’s Historic Preservation Commission warned that the height and placement of the five-story structure could harm the church’s historic architecture and even its structural integrity. In response, the city asked the developer to provide engineering assistance so the congregation can thoroughly document the building’s existing condition. Those concerns are detailed in commission comments and attachments that went to the council with the ordinance packet, according to the City of Evanston memo.
Before a building permit is issued, PM Properties must finalize exterior materials, record the ordinance with the Cook County Clerk and meet every listed condition. Church leaders say they plan to watch that enforcement closely. The project is slated to deliver three low-income units, but whether the agreement’s safeguards truly shield the church will only become clear if and when construction gets underway. For now, the vote highlights a familiar tension in Evanston between adding housing and protecting long-standing community institutions.
