Green light for pilot at former U.S. Steel site

Sixty-five vacant, city-owned parcels adjacent to the former U.S. Steel site in the South Chicago neighborhood will see long-anticipated residential development in a pilot program for a model energy-efficient neighborhood.

"We have a huge opportunity to turn the area's [Rust Belt] reputation on its head," Marilyn Engwall, a project manager from the Chicago Department of Planning and Development, said last week.

Engwall and other city planners have worked with residents and neighborhood leaders, including Ald. John Pope (10th), to plan a green neighborhood that includes streets, sidewalks, parks, housing, commercial districts and possibly a streetcar network to carry residents to the three major Metra stations that serve the area or to its retail and entertainment establishments.


That neighborhood will go up on 873 acres of vacant land that includes the 573-acre, former U.S. Steel Southworks, which has been cleaned of industrial debris over the last decade, and hundreds of parcels scattered amid existing houses.

Though it could take 23 years to complete the entire project, the green housing is scheduled to go up in the next year or two on 65 parcels. The city is preparing to sell the property to four green developers.

Aspen SCG LLC, which comprises local developers Martin Kim and James Corirossi, won approval for its purchase of 16 of the parcels from the Chicago Community Development Commission last week. The LLC will build 40 energy-efficient, green homes using geothermal technology expected to save up to 50 percent of electric heating and cooling costs and eliminate all gas heating costs.

Aspen's 16 parcels are on the 3300 block of 88th Street and on the 8800 block of Buffalo Avenue; the others are on the 8500 block of Baker Avenue, and on Burley and Buffalo Avenues between 84th and 86th Streets.

Land sales to two other developers -- Courtyard Flats LLC (Urban Works and DENCO) and Chicago Lakefront LLC (the Davis Group) -- also have been approved by the Community Development Commission. Non-profit developer Claretian Associates is still waiting for the OK.

"We expect that the city will close on the land sales with each of them by spring 2008," Engwall said, with two closings possible by the end of this year.

The South Chicago plan is part of the U.S. Green Building Council's pilot LEED Neighborhood initiative. The council has applied its LEED standard to commercial and institutional projects, then home building.

Now it's being extended to neighborhoods, with 238 in the U.S. and Canada participating in the pilot, said Doug Widener, executive director at the council's Chicago chapter.

South Chicago "is the only community in the city to participate in the pilot, and one of the largest," Widener said last week.

"To do that you have to have a pretty clean slate of area and in the 10th Ward we have that opportunity because that area was hit hard by the downturn of the mills," Engwall added.

LEED allows the city and developers to measure the greenness of projects. Points are awarded for green features such as water-management technologies, energy-efficiency technologies and indoor air-quality features, and well as how well a developer recycles building materials or re-uses brownfields.

To participate in the pilot, developers must receive at least silver certification (30 to 35 points). Aspen has secured gold certification (36 to 37 points), according to Kim. The other developers taking part also have been certified.

Aspen's plan to use efficient geothermal energy accounts for at least part of its gold rating.

Geothermal technology captures in-ground heat from about four feet down, which remains about 55 degrees regardless of ambient temperatures, said Nicholas Patinkin, president of AspenGreen, the Evanston-based energy consultant to the project. The system transfers that to a heat exchanger that boosts it to 72 degrees or more in the winter and brings it into the home. Geothermal systems reverse themselves in the summer, carrying heat from the home into the ground. "Essentially we are able to use the ground as an enormous heat sink to store heat energy from the house and for the house," Patinkin said.

Aspen has built housing with geothermal systems. "We did one in Lincoln Park and another in Long Grove," Kim said.

"Also, it is a chance to demonstrate that you can do green building and that it is not necessarily that much more expensive," Engwall said.

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source: chicagotribune.com

Couples must stand united in house hunt

WASHINGTON - If you and your spouse fight over the TV remote or can't agree on where to go to dinner, you may not want to shop for house together.

Take the couple who flew to Atlanta for a weekend house-hunting trip. After two full days, they had found only one that was worth a return visit. But he wasn't impressed and wanted to find temporary quarters until they found a house they loved. She, on the other hand, wanted to make the one house work.

"The ride home from the second day of looking was very quiet," recalls agent, Jeromy Trask of Harry Norman Realtors.

When Trask dropped them off at the hotel, the plan was for him to pick them up at 9:30 a.m. the next day. But when the agent arrived, only she was there, ready and refreshed. "She indicated [her husband] was going to meet us at my office.

As Trask pulled into the office parking lot, the hubby was there -- dressed in the clothes he had worn the previous day, unshaven "and obviously lacking sleep," the agent says.

"Not a word was said by anyone on the 20-minute ride to the house. The wife and I walked through as the husband fumed on the porch. He finally came in and moped around."

When the unhappy couple and their uneasy agent returned to the office, they wrote up an offer and ended up buying the house. Only later did Trask find out the husband had spent the night in the rental car in front of his.

The moral, says Trask, is simple: "When relocating to a new city, rent a comfortable car."

Or follow the advice of Beverly Hills, Calif., agent Connie De Groot, who has seen so many couples all but come to blows she created a steps they should take to have a successful shopping experience.

*Find out what you can afford: Visiting a lender is a "good starting point," she says. Not just because it lets the couple know how high they can go but it takes the pressure off.

*Agree beforehand: Sit down, discuss and agree upon your top price, the three "must haves" for both of you, the areas where both are open to living and a plan of action, such as what days you will go on your safari or whether one partner will preview properties.

Also agree that if one spouse finds a home he or she likes, no offer will be written until the other person has seen it and liked it, too.

*No fighting: It may seem obvious not to bicker in front of your agent or any involved third party. One or both buyers may be so humiliated that they will not feel comfortable working with the agent or the seller.

It's also important to be "as neutral as possible" for negotiating purposes. You don't want to give away any information that can be used against you when haggling on the price.

*Take a break: Establish a time and place where both of you can meet to discuss the homes you've seen, which you favor, terms of an offer and countless other matters.

*Show some respect: Be kind when you dislike some of the things your mate likes. Otherwise, no one will share feelings.

*Consider the fixes: If some repairs or remodeling will be necessary to make the house "work" for you, find out what it will cost and how long it will take before you make an offer.

*Pick your agent carefully: Choose an agent you trust and feel can best represent both your interests. If one person has doubts, it could lead to second-guessing and problems.

*Stay focused: The process is intense, so keep your eye on the prize. If a third-party inspection reveals some flaws, remember that the inspector is hired to find what's bad about the house, not what's good. So weigh the good points against the bad.

*There's no "I" in team: It's worth repeating; everything needs to be mutual. It's what "we" want, not what "I" want.

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source: chicagotribune.com

Homes set for North Center site

A 91-unit residential project is planned for two former factories in the North Center neighborhood.

Chicago-based Kopley Group Inc. will develop the project through 1810 W. Grace St. LLC. It will build the 91-unit project in five- and three-story buildings that have been on a 97-acre site at 1810-1822 W. Grace St. for 100 years.

Kopley bought the two buildings from a private owner last fall, according to Stefanos Karavolos, a project manager at the Kopley Group.

That site is in a largely residential area of detached houses and small apartment buildings.

The Chicago Plan Commission last month approved residential rather than current limited manufacturing use. City Council approval is needed.

The developers will rehab both buildings -- the three-story structure at Grace and Ravenswood Avenue and the L-shaped five-story one facing Berenice Avenue, into 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom units, Karavolos said.

Local architects at Fitzgerald Associates have designed the project.

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source: chicagotribune.com

Directors have protections against owner lawsuits

Q. I am on a condo board. We follow and consistently enforce all rules of the building and make no decisions until we thoroughly research our rules or the Condominium Act. We have a good management company. However, we have been threatened with a lawsuit for doing our job and have experienced false accusations that resulted in attorneys' fees.

When board members are doing the right thing, what is their protection? The Condominium Act outlines what each position is required to perform, which is a lot of responsibility for a position with no pay. There needs to be some oversight or a state body for board members. Why would anyone volunteer for this job?

A. Though I understand your frustration, you should realize that litigation against directors is generally unsuccessful. The law gives board members substantial protection and complaining unit owners are not likely to recover attorneys' fees.


Directors have a fiduciary obligation, which means they must follow the condo declaration and Condominium Act. Consistent with court rulings on corporate directors, condo board members are not liable for good-faith decisions even if they result in mistakes.

Every declaration contains an indemnification provision that essentially states that directors are not liable unless they act in a manner that is fraudulent or engage in intentional misconduct or gross negligence.

A litigant may recover attorneys' fees only if they are authorized by statute or a contract. The Illinois Condominium Property Act states that directors may recover attorneys' fees against owners to enforce the declaration and rules. There is no provision in the statute for owners to recover attorneys' fees for suits against directors.

The condo declaration is a contract, and most do not provide for unit owners to recover fees in suits against a board.



Q. As an owner in a large condo association with high assessments, a healthy budget and a reserve fund of almost $300,000, are there any laws or regulations that require board members or the property management firm to be bonded. If so, in what amount? Do board members have to advise the association members regarding this bond?

A. Section 12 of the Illinois Condominium Property Act requires the association to maintain a fidelity bond to protect against theft of funds. The bond covers those who handle association funds. The bond should equal the amount of funds in the operating and reserve accounts. The management company should produce the bond before beginning a new contract with the association.



Q. I am an officer of a new homeowners association. We are a small subdivision with homes and a few unsold lots. Our developer turned over control of the association to the owners last May. While he did register the association as a non-profit corporation, he did almost nothing else to conduct business for the benefit of the members. Other than the turnover election, the developer never held any open meetings, no minutes or agendas were published and no money was set aside in a reserve fund. Thus, we are starting off with no funds or bylaws. The covenants were written in such a way that vacant lot owners, meaning the developer, have a vote but do not pay assessments.

Didn't the developer have a duty to act like an owner board when he was in charge?

A. Developer representatives are the first board members. Developer board members have the same fiduciary obligation as owner board members. They must hold open meetings, distribute a budget to the owners and prepare and distribute an annual accounting of income and expenses.

Because your association is not a condominium, the developer may have been exempt from certain requirements, such as the payment of assessments and maintaining reserves.

If the developer incorporated the association as a non-profit corporation, it was an error not to prepare bylaws.



Q. If our condominium declaration allows dogs, can the board grandfather existing dogs and prohibit new dogs? Do they have to amend the bylaws or can they just make a decision? If they have to amend the bylaws, is owner approval required?

A. If the declaration and bylaws of your association permits pets, the board cannot prohibit dogs without amending the document by a vote of the unit owners.

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source: chicagotribune.com

Old World charm joins 21st Century

Famous as the birthplace of Sen. Hilary Rodham Clinton and home to the historic Pickwick Theatre, Park Ridge offers small-town atmosphere with the conveniences of suburban living.

About 15 miles northwest of Chicago and served by Metra's Union Pacific Northwest line, Park Ridge has a population of just over 37,000.

Not far from a friendly downtown area, the restored and renovated courtyard building at 2 S. Greenwood Ave. has been reconfigured into 60 spacious units. Black window trim and black wrought-iron railings on apartment balconies highlight the recently tuck-pointed red brick. Tall honey locust trees shade the grassy courtyard. Original stonework and etched glass windows in the courtyard's entrance doors add character.
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Slate flooring in the lobby and new plaid carpet on the stairs welcome visitors to a two-bedroom, two-bath unit on the second floor. Inside, in the 15-by-21-foot living room, four floor-to-ceiling windows face north into the courtyard. The two center windows are sliding doors that open onto a spacious balcony.

To the right of the front door, two windows facing south brighten the 11-by-11-foot dining area. A brushed-chrome chandelier matches other light fixtures in the unit.

A coat closet and a door leading to the open-air back stairway, where residents can grill, sit along the wall to the right of the front door.

A granite breakfast bar separates the dining area from the open U-shaped 11-by-12-foot kitchen. Maple cabinets, with glass doors that open on the kitchen and dining room sides, hang above the counter, bringing light into the kitchen. Other kitchen amenities include a gas cooktop with retractable downdraft vent, stainless-steel appliances and a double sink.

Opposite the kitchen the first bath has travertine tile, maple cabinets and a window facing the courtyard. A hallway that leads to the rest of the apartment passes the HVAC closet on the left and a closet housing the hot-water heater.

On the right, the 10-by-16-foot bedroom has two windows facing south and a 5-by-5-foot walk-in closet. Also on the right, a double-door closet holds a full-size washer and dryer.

The hall ends at the 10-by-14-foot master suite. This includes another large walk-in closet, a smaller closet and four floor-to-ceiling windows, including two that slide open to a Juliet balcony facing the courtyard.

On the left, the master bath also has travertine tile, double sinks, granite countertops, maple cabinets, Jacuzzi tub, rimless glass shower stall with rain shower head and conventional shower head and a window overlooking the courtyard.

The unit's decor includes engineered dark-wood flooring, lighted ceiling fans in the bedrooms and master bath, recessed lighting, horizontal and vertical mini-blinds and closet organizers. The walls are a soothing cafe au lait.

The building, about six blocks from downtown Park Ridge, is convenient to shopping, restaurants and the Park Ridge Metra station. From the station, Pace buses travel to CTA trains and various suburbs.

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source: chicagotribune.com