Chamber: Preserve office zoning

An increasing number of knowledge and information-based businesses now see Evanston as a competitive location for commercial activity.  Therefore, The Evanston Chamber of Commerce board passed a resolution Monday encouraging the City of Evanston to keep a valuable 130,000 square feet zoned as office space on the edge of downtown.

The recent announcement by the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits of the United Methodist Church to leave Evanston and move to Glenview, opens up the potential for significant Class B office space on 2.3 acres near transit lines, and with on-site parking.

“Land use issues are very important to every one of use who has a stake in Evanston’s future.  While there may be worthy alternatives, maintaining this site’s current status (zoned for office space) is in Evanston’s long-term interest,” said Chamber President Don Huff.

“At a time when one of the chief issues concerning the future economy of Evanston is the shortage of office space, particularly of the Class B variety, there are few other sites in Evanston as prized as the one at Ridge Avenue and Davis Street that can be identified as potential for local economic growth,” said Chamber Executive Director Jonathan Perman. 

With its proximity to Chicago, the frequent public transit service, the access to an extraordinary labor force, and its cultural richness, The Evanston Chamber now finds significant interest from many companies who are willing to pay a premium for locating here.

“The challenge, however, from a land use perspective, is the continued strong multi-family residential market has placed some Class B office space at risk in Evanston,” explained Chamber Governmental Affairs Council Chairman Larry Widmayer, a commercial broker with Koenig & Strey GMAC Commercial and former chairman of the Evanston Plan Commission.  “It is apparent that a considerable part of Evanston’s future economic success will be based on the local market’s ability to provide excellent adaptable space for growing existing and new companies,” he noted.  “This resolution by The Chamber confirms our interest in seeing Evanston thrive from both a residential and commercial position,” added Widmayer.