Palatine gives downtown apartment building preliminary OK

Despite some concerns about the proposal, Palatine council members gave preliminary approval Monday to plans for a three-story, 18-unit apartment building in the village's downtown.

The building would go up on a vacant site at the southwest corner of Brockway Street and Palatine Road that formerly was home to Kramer Photographers.

"I personally feel that this fits very very well with the (village's) land-use guide," council member Brad Helms said. "This is kind of exactly what we were looking for. I think we were all afraid of it coming in as an eight-story (building)."

An open-air garage for 34 parking spaces, two of them handicap-accessible, would take up much of the ground floor, with the remainder reserved for an amenity space.

Village Manager Reid Ottesen said the amenity area was preferred over commercial space.

"There is retail downtown," he said. "We're not looking to add more competition to the existing space."

The upper two floors would contain nine units each, ranging from 1,000 to more than 1,200 square feet. A rooftop area would offer residents further amenities, including a space for cooking outside.

The plans call for the building to be set back 5 feet from the sidewalk and curb line along Palatine Road, offering an opportunity for landscaping. The Kramer building had crept up to the property line.

Council member Doug Myslinski voiced skepticism that 5 feet is enough space for landscaping.

The council devoted significant discussion to plans for balconies hanging over the right of way along Brockway Street.

"I'm worrying about something falling off of it, hitting (someone)," council member Kollin Kozlowski said.

Ottesen said other projects downtown have balconies that protrude over the right of way, adding that many downtown buildings have awnings projecting over the right of way as well.

But he pointed out that the plan is preliminary.

Helms said he is concerned about the open-air garage.

"People would like to have cars out of the elements, especially in the wintertime," he said.

Ottesen said utility easement issues are preventing the garage from being completely enclosed, but down the road, once those issues are resolved, that situation might change.

Final approval could come in April.