New build plan for retirement home

Presbyterian Homes officials presented revised plans for rebuilding part of the Westminster Place development in Northwest Evanston to city officials today.

The new plans reduce from 56 to 50 the number of new, larger duplex units that would replace the 56 existing duplexes built in 1959 on the east side of the retirement community site.

The plan still includes a four-story, 32-unit apartment building.

The director of facilities management for Presbyterian Homes, Nancy Tolan, says the apartment building would be largely sheltered from view from neighboring private homes by the new cottages.

A rendering showing the four-story building behind a pair of duplexes.

Tolan said the plans shown today were developed as a result of a series of meetings held with neighbors since the first plan was unveiled in January.

She said a pair of duplex units at the southeast and northeast corners of the site that drew fire from neighbors have been eliminated from the plan, along with a third duplex on the inner circle road.

Another design change reduces the number of driveways to the units by siting some garages so they face the side of the unit rather than the front, letting two adjacent buildings share a driveway.

A rendering showing the shared driveway design.

Tolan said the retirement community worked with neighbors to develop a landscaping plan that would preserve open areas on the site now are used as play spaces by neighborhood children.

She said the new plan also adds sidewalks around the perimeter of the property so that neighbors don't have to walk or bicycle in the street to get to a nearby park.

She said the plan also increases underground parking to reduce congestion on the site.

She noted that couples now entering the development frequently now arrive with two cars -- a change from when the existing project was designed.