URBANA— Urbana is considering a contentious West Main Street housing project and an ethical investments policy.
Officials in Urbana are advancing a controversial housing project near the city’s downtown.
During a Monday Committee of the Whole meeting, the city considered a developer proposal to build a four-story apartment building on West Main Street just north of Boneyard Creek.
City staff said the development’s proximity to the creek would present architectural challenges, but it could also support an expansion of a pedestrian pathway along the waterway.
“This site is uniquely positioned to provide a catalyst for Boneyard Creek activation in downtown Urbana,” said Urbana Principal Planner Evan Alvarez.
Residents filled the city council chambers as they came out to voice support or opposition to the project. Officials voted 3-to-2 for the proposal, with Mayor DeShawn Williams casting a tie-breaking vote for the plan to move forward.
The project is expected to come up for a final vote at the Urbana City Council meeting in June.
Some residents worry about major changes to the neighborhood
The proposed 32-unit housing project would be built between 413 and 419 W. Main Street and would require demolition of two residential buildings. The site includes two vacant lots, and city staff estimated the structures currently have somewhere between six and 14 units.
Multiple residents said they felt a four-story building would not fit in with the rest of the area, which includes large single-family homes.
“When large apartment buildings get built … that changes the character of the neighborhood, and it changes Urbana,” said Chris Berti. “I’m not asking you to not build a large apartment [building], but do it intelligently.”
Carolyn Baxley claimed letting the project move forward would “increase noise and traffic on Main and render it far less desirable for children and their parents to be safe walking and biking.”
“Main Street’s strengths and assets are its historic homes, and they need to be protected from large infill development,” she said.
Andrew Fell, architect for the project, said he has offered to modify the exterior of the building to address neighbors’ concerns, but none have taken him up on that offer.
He said the project has gone through multiple hurdles to get to this point, including a flood study given its proximity to Boneyard Creek. Any significant changes to the footprint or structure of the building could derail the project, he said.
“If the council decides this is not the project that should go there, so be it,” Fell added. “But if this doesn’t go there, the push to get anything developed on this site is going to be very difficult, and I don’t want anybody to believe otherwise, because this is a very hard project and a very hard site to work on.”
Other residents argue Urbana needs more housing options
Multiple community members also urged city officials to let the project move forward. Many argued there is strong demand for more housing close to downtown and that increasing the supply of housing is critical to reducing rents in the area over time.
Jared Fritz, a member of the Champaign Zoning Board of Appeals and a founding member of the CUrbanism Club, said he recognized the importance of hearing residents’ concerns.
“We can take that into consideration and we need to weigh that against the needs of our community at large,” he said. “Communities evolve over time and if we’re lucky, communities can grow and we can invite new neighbors into them.”
Annie Adams, chair of the city’s bike and pedestrian advisory commission and a previous candidate for mayor, said the city’s housing stock is falling behind neighboring communities.
“Our township is telling us month after month that we have a housing problem,” she said. “Our large employers are warning us. The housing shortage is hampering recruitment and growth is occurring in areas where housing is easier to build.”
City Council splits on the project, leaving the final outcome unclear
After hearing public comment for nearly two hours, city council members heard logistical details from staff about the project.
Council member Chris Evans said he supports the idea of building new housing — just not at the project’s identified site on West Main Street.
“What we are calling vacant lots, that’s pristine green space. If there’s anything that should be built there is a gazebo,” he said.
He said the developers should consider building on a vacant parking lot closer to downtown at Race and Griggs Street, arguing the project could be even more dense there.
Council member Verdell Jones III said the city needs new housing for its next generation.
“Keeping Urbana Urbana doesn’t mean we have to keep things — for lack of a better term — old and broke,” he said. “There’s a lot of things that need to be fixed around here, and in order for those things to happen, we have to update or build new.”
Council member Maryalice Wu voted against the measure and council member Grace Wilkin voted for the project, though Wilkin said she is unsure how she’ll vote when the project comes back to city council for final approval in June.
The council currently has has one vacancy after Chaundra Bishop stepped down, and two members were absent on Monday.
City seeks to prohibit investments in companies that profit from war
Urbana is also working to adopt a new policy that would prohibit the city from investing in certain companies that profit from war or conflict.
Officials advanced new financial guidelines requiring the city to redirect investments from top weapons and military service companies as well as those that profit from the war in Gaza and conflicts in Syria, Lebanon and the West Bank.
CU Muslim Action Committee member Sana Saboowala said the change was an important step for the city to take.
Urbana has shown time and time again through referendums and public forums that ethical investments is something that most residents are interested in,” she said. “I see this as an exciting opportunity for Urbana to be a leader in Illinois.”
Officials said Urbana would be the first in the state to adopt this kind of ethical investments policy.
City council is expected to vote on final approval of the policy in the coming weeks.