15-Mar-17 – “The cheerleaders usually don’t come out to support a project everybody already wants,” noted 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly at a packed community meeting on Monday to discuss a proposed 60-story hotel/condominium at Rush & Superior Streets – one block from Holy Name Cathedral.

Most of the estimated 300-plus people at the meeting, believed Reilly, are opposed to The Carillon, a project by Symmetry Property Development of New York that would add 246 condo units, 216 hotel rooms, 120 hotel timeshare units, and 30,000 square feet of retail space to River North.

Concerns included construction noise during the three years it would take to build the tower, then traffic congestion when it’s finished. Ward Miller (left), executive director of Preservation Chicago, said putting up the building would take away from the neighborhood’s Victorian architectural heritage.

A River North resident said it would lessen the charm of the Cathedral District.

“There are museums around every corner and tourists who stroll by just to see the beautiful 19th century architecture,” said Lynette Mischel. “But the scale of this new building and the shadow from the canyon effect it will create, along with the historic buildings they intend to take down, will dramatically change this desirable neighborhood forever.”

Symmetry needs the approval of Reilly and the City Council before it can go ahead with the project – the third one proposed for the site and Symmetry’s second proposal.