A revised development proposal for the former Giant Eagle site at 280 E. Whittier St. was presented to the neighborhood over the weekend.
The new plan calls for a smaller building, with fewer residential units (279, down from 330), a shorter profile, and a design that pulls back from the street in more places. On the Kossuth Street side, the building now features white brick and has been reduced from four to three-and-a-half stories.
Parking within the two-level interior garage has been increased slightly – from 220 spaces to 228 – and an additional 17 on-street spaces would be opened up by allowing parking on the east side of Jaeger Street.
The updated design was presented by representatives of the Pizzuti Companies and the architectural firm NBBJ on October 31, during a special meeting of the zoning committee of the South Side Area Commission.
The rethinking of the design came at the request of the zoning committee and after the previous proposal was met with opposition – including concerns about density and parking – from many residents when it was presented to the Schumacher Place Civic Association.
The initial response to the new plan was mixed, but several commissioners who attended the virtual meeting commented that they appreciated the changes and were hopeful that the project was now on the right track.
A vote on the requested zoning variances for the project is scheduled to take place at the next zoning committee meeting on November 14. After that, the full South Side Area Commission will get a chance to weigh in on the 24th.
