22-Feb-16 – In exchange for being allowed to build a bigger building, a residential development project in River North, approved by the Chicago Plan Commission last Thursday, will help Marina City pay for restoration of its balconies.

311 West Illinois – 3Eleven for short – will be a 24-story residential tower near Illinois & Franklin Streets, built next to Assumption Catholic Church.

The John Buck Company of Chicago introduced it last September. According to documents shared with constituents on Friday by 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly (left), the company requested a zoning “bonus,” giving their building more floor area, “based on the proposed restoration of concrete balconies at the Marina City residential towers located at 300 North State Street.”

Marina City became an official Chicago landmark on February 10, with the City Council passing an ordinance introduced by Reilly on January 13.

The project is taking the city up on its “adopt-a-landmark” offer that gives benefits to developers if they help pay for improvements at a landmarked building. Combined with two other bonuses, including a cash contribution to help improve public transportation, the adopt-a-landmark bonus will allow The John Buck Company to construct a building that takes up more of the lot on which it is located.

On January 7, the Commission on Chicago Landmarks approved a $1.1 million restoration project at Marina City for the 3Eleven project to help pay. The city’s Department of Planning and Development will sign an agreement with the condominium association at Marina City regarding exactly how funds will be used. The restoration project has to be funded before the developer can get the zoning bonus. (Right) 311 West Illinois imagined from the northwest next to an existing church. The new 24-story building, designed by FitzGerald Associates, will include 245 residences, 109 parking spaces, and retail space on the ground floor.

Sneeze and you would have missed Marina City’s final landmark vote

It took less than two minutes for the Chicago City Council to approve Marina City’s landmark designation and even if you were listening for it, you could have missed it.

An hour and 46 minutes into the City Council meeting on February 10, Mayor Rahm Emanuel recognizes 25th Ward Alderman Danny Solis (left), who presents a brief report on the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards. He mentions an appointment to a zoning appeals board, some approvals for land use, that three aldermen do not approve of a specific zoning application, and the day’s only landmark designation – but not by name.

He asks Emanuel to pass the items with an often-used procedure, “by the last most favorable roll call vote” by the full City Council on an item passed by the Committee on Finance…

And with that, Marina City becomes an official Chicago landmark.

This is how committee items are typically approved by the City Council. There is no actual vote, although any alderman can call for one. The council passes the items using the most recent vote that approved an item from the Finance Committee, which happened to be a 48-0 vote with two aldermen absent.

Ordinance O2016-65 was assigned to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards, which recommended on February 9 that the designation be approved by the full City Council. Marina City was not on the original agenda for the committee meeting. It appeared on an addendum received by the City Clerk’s office on February 5.