Are you asking yourself "What is going on with the empty lots at the Skil Site?"  Ask no more.  Just come here for an update.

For details and layout of the original proposed development, click here (to view a 630K Adobe Acrobat file).

Every day, Sauganash resident Charles O'Connor looks out his front window and sees a large vacant lot that was once home to Skil-Bosch Power Tools.

The property across the street, about the size of a city park, was once slated to be a 35-home development called "The Residences of Sauganash Glen." But the lot has been devoid of activity since the troubled Rezmar Development Group purchased the land in 2001.

O'Connor's view likely improved when the old factory building, at 4300 W. Peterson Ave., was demolished, but he says the vista could be better. A weather-worn sheet of asphalt is visible in the foreground, a piece of construction equipment sits idle, and a pile of bricks and rubble remains, remnants of the building that once was. Sometimes the wind whips up the dust and loose soil on the site, sending it wafting across Sauganash Avenue.

A large sign identifying Koening & Strey GMAC Real Estate as the exclusive marketer of The Residences of Sauganash Glen stands on the opposite curb, facing houses and three-flats on the quiet street. Behind it is a trailer, a sales office where potential buyers went to learn about the single-family homes that were planned for the site. A sign on the window says the office has been temporarily closed.

The two-story luxury homes were to have a starting price of a little over $1 million, and would have been available in different layouts, ranging from 4,100 to 4,600 square feet. A press release issued by Koening & Strey in July 2005 described the Residences of Sauganash Glen as "an inviting new community ... set around a charming, landscaped cul de sac.... Sauganash Glen is being developed in three phases with deliveries of Phase I homes planned for May 2006."

According to the press release, "Sauganash Glen is the latest in a long list of successful developments from the Rezmar Development Group, known for new construction and historic renovation projects in many of Chicago's premier residential areas." Rezmar has lost some of its luster since the Chicago Plan Commission and the City Council approved a Planned Development for the Residences of Sauganash Glen in late 2004. Earlier this year Pioneer Press contacted Koening & Strey to get an update on the project. A representative of the firm said Koening & Strey was no longer involved with the development. Sources told Pioneer Press that six of the 35 homes had been under contract, but those buyers were refunded their investment.

Rezmar, a partnership between Antoin "Tony" Rezko and Daniel S. Mahru, is now in the process of "unwinding," said a spokeswoman for Rezko. News reports over the past two years have detailed Rezko's and Rezmar's problems. Some of those include the stripping away of Minority Set-Aside status of Crucial Inc., which was awarded concession contracts for Panda Express restaurants at O'Hare International Airport. An African-American was listed as the owner, while the city alleged it was actually owned by Rezko. Crucial reportedly had minority contracts with Cook County.

Rezko has given donations to Cook County Board President John Stroger's political campaign, and at least $500,000 to Gov. Rod Blagojevich's campaign fund. A Cook County Board resolution in 2000 recognized Rezko for his success in business and "for the myriad of contributions he has made to our county." Rezko's relatives and business associates have been appointed to posts at both county and state agencies.

About the same time Rezmar won approval for its planned development at Sauganash Glen, it also got planned development approval for a 62-acre site at Roosevelt Road and Clark Street. Plans called for about 17 acres of commercial/retail there and the remainder developed with about 4,600 residential units. That property has had a similar fate. Rezmar sold the property to General Mediterranean Holding SA for $130 million. Mediterranean hired U.S. Equities Realty LLC to sell the commercial portion, the spokeswoman said.

She said the Sauganash Glen site is also up for sale through U.S. Equities Real Estate.

Connie Buscemi, spokeswoman for the Chicago Department of Planning and Development, confirmed that the property was up for sale. But whoever buys the property must adhere to the dictates of the planned development documents for the Sauganash Glen plan, also called PD-937, Buscemi said.

The planned development will lapse in November 2010 if it is not fulfilled, and the land's zoning will return to manufacturing. A developer can amend the plans, but in most cases that would require a public hearing.

An example of what could happen exists about a half mile west of the Sauganash Glen site. Imperial Realty was originally the developer for the Cicero-Peterson TIF. Imperial sold it to Brook-Ridge Development after the city approved a planned development for that property. The Whole Foods World Market and condominium project is following the pattern set under the original Planned Development documents.

O'Connor said he is glad he and the community did not get the approximately 100 townhouses that Rezmar had once planned for Sauganash Glen, but said he would like to see something there. He said Rezmar has been cooperative over the years, and was responsive to the desires of the community when he was working with company representatives on its planned development proposal. He even had meetings with Rezmar officials in his living room -- the same room with the view across the street.

February 18, 2006
Sauganash Glen Development
By Jan Keevil
The Sounds

Piles of rubble are all that remain of the Skil Tool building on Peterson Avenue. The demolition has been completed and the site will be cleared by the end of February, according to Robert Williams, President of Rezmar Corporation, the site developer.

In its place, Rezmar will construct the Residences of Sauganash Glen, a development of 35 single-family luxury homes. Site development, which includes installing water and sewer mains and other underground utilities, "will take up a good portion of this year," Williams said.

In addition, one new street will be put in off Peterson Avenue. The homes will be built on the east and west sides of this street and face the street. Another row of homes will be built along Sauganash Avenue and face that street. The homes will have alley access to detached garages. The homes will be two stories with full basements and range in size from 4,000 to 4,600 square feet. The cost of the new homes starts at 1.1 million dollars. Of the 35 homes to be built, "six are already under contract or in the process," Williams said.

Rezmar will also construct a model home, which Williams says will be completed before the end of the year. Since it takes 8-9 months to build the homes, he estimates that it will be late winter or early spring next year before the homes are finished.

October 16, 2005

April 26, 2005
5 of the 35 units are under contract

November 27, 2004
35 SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES IN SAUGANASH

The Residences of Sauganash Glen, a 35 luxury single-family home development, is underway in the Sauganash neighborhood. Pre-construction sales are scheduled to begin on November 27 from a sales center on the 4 1/2 acre site at 4300 W. Peterson Avenue.
The planned-unit development site calls for homes in this residential area to be nestled on a tree-lined cul-de-sac off of Peterson Ave. facing east and west with an additional row of residences on the south side of Sauganash Ave. facing north.

"The homes have three finished levels of living space including a lower level. Four-bedroom and 5-bedroom floor plans with 3 1/2 baths and 4,053 to 4,548 square feet of living area are available. Base prices of the homes range from the high-$900,000 bracket to about $1.4 million," said Alexandra Korompilas, director of sales and marketing for Rezmar Development Group, the developer.

Rezmar acquired the property in 2002 and successfully completed the zoning this year. An existing office building that served as the former headquarters of both the Skill and Bosch power tool companies will be razed to make way for the homes.

Three floor plans are being offered with a range of exterior elevations designed to complement the homes. They are designed to look as though they've been part of the Sauganash neighborhood for decades as most homes and other architecture in Sauganash were built during the late 1920s through the 1950s.

"The homes at Sauganash Glen will have architecturally interesting exterior elements such as gabled roofs, brick and stone details, gracious front entry porches, bay windows and balconies," Korompilas said. "Also, each residence will have privacy-fenced yards and professionally landscaped front yards." "There is a lot of flexible space designed into each of the plans, making the homes ideal for growing families," Korompilas said. "We have even designed plans for an optional rooftop deck over the garage in order to extend your outdoor living space."

Korompilas said: "We are offering a great home in a great neighborhood with great schools. Simply put, this is a great opportunity for anyone house hunting in the Sauganash area."

August 29, 2004
Reprinted from "The Reporter"
Plan for homes at Skil site gets residents' okay
by ROBERT ELFINGER

Rezmar Corporation officials won the support of Sauganash residents for a plan to build 35 two-story single-family homes on the former of Skil Power Tools headquarters, 4300 W. Peterson Ave., after unveiling the plan an Aug. 25 community meeting at Sauganash Park.

"We were negotiating about what would be tolerable . . . When the landscape grows and things get settled, this will be an asset," said resident Charles O'Connor, who lives across the street from the site. "Never did I expect single-family homes."

THE DEVELOPER also plans to extend Kildare Avenue north from Peterson to create a cul-de-sac accessible by two alleys within the development. The previous proposal to connect Kildare to Sauganash Avenue was eliminated because residents were concerned that the extension would increase traffic from motorists who would use it as a shortcut to Devon Avenue.

At the request of Alderman Margaret Laurino (39th), the developer changed its initial plan to build townhomes and 12 single-family homes on the 193,000-square-foot site because residents expressed concern that the density of the development would create traffic and parking problems. Rezmar also reduced the proposed 43-foot height of the homes, which many residents felt would detract from the character of their community.

"Look at this — how often do you see everyone agreeing that they like something?" Laurino said.

The revised plan for the development, to be called Sauganash Glen, reduces the height of the homes to 32 feet and eliminates a proposed 22,000 square-foot area of green space. The homes will have basement in an otherwise attentive and appreciative audience came when May said that prices tentatively will start in the $900,000s.

"I want to express my gratitude," said one woman. "You took the concerns of the community and you came back to us with something we can take. You listened to O'Connor, who at times acted as a liaison between residents and the developer, echoed those sentiments. "We invited them over and they stayed for like 4 hours, and we toured the area a bit and talked," O'Connor said. "These people are nice. It's a really classy operation."

Rezmar hopes to start sales in the fall, and the marketing strategy will not be executed in phases, May basements and detached garages, and the majority of them will have a front-yard setback of 30 feet. Thirty-four of the units will contain 4,500 square feet, including the garage, and one unit will contain 4,200 square feet.

The plan still needs the approval of the Plan Commission and to complete engineering and architectural nuances of the project, including plans for water retention.

August 22, 2004
Reprinted from "The Reporter"
Plan for Skil site revised for single-family homes
by MELISSA NIELSEN

To quiet concerns of residents about a proposed townhome development at 4300 W. Peterson Ave., developers have scratched the initial plan in favor of a plan to build 35 single-family homes on the site-Alderman Margaret Laurino (39th) asked project manager Mark May of Rezmar Corporation to return to the drawing board after a community meeting July 20 brought out many residents who expressed opposition to the company's initial proposal to build 67 four-story townhomes and 12 single-family homes the former site of the Skil Power Tools headquarters. Residents ex-concern that the density of the development would create traffic and parking problems and that the 43-foot height of the townhomes would detract from the character of their community.

The revised proposal replaces a proposed 22,000-square-foot patch family homes with basements and detached garages. Most front-yard setbacks will measure 30 feet and 34 of the units will contain 4,500 square feet, including the garage. One unit will contain 4,200 square feet.

The plan also scraps the idea of extending Kildare Avenue to connect Peterson Avenue to Sauganash Avenue. Instead, plans call for extending Kildare north from Peterson to create a cul-de-sac accessible by two alleys within the development. An alley extending north from Peterson will not connect to Sauganash.

Residents were concerned that extending Kildare would increase traffic from motorists looking for a shortcut to Devon Avenue.

The biggest issues with the residents were height, density and traffic, and this plan addresses that," Laurino said. She said that she had told the developer that the area is a "single-family community" and that residents voiced said the same at the meeting.

A community meeting to review the revised plans will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 25, at the Sauganash Park fieldhouse, 5861 N. Kostner Ave.

July 25, 2004
Residents unhappy with size of Skil development
by MELISSA NIELSEN

Alderman Margaret Laurino (39th) promised to go back to the drawing board with developers after residents expressed concern over the height, density and traffic implications of a proposal to build 67 four-story townhouses on the former site of the Skil Power Tools headquarters, 4300 W. Peterson Ave.

A community meeting to discuss the proposal was held Tuesday, July 20,drawing a standing-room-only crowd to the Sauganash Park field-house. Many of the residents present cheered those who opposed the Rezmar Corporation development, tentatively named Sauganash Glen.

Project manager Mark May unveiled the plans to the public, showing 67 townhouses situated mostly along Peterson and around a 22,000-square-foot section of green space in the middle of the development as well as 12 single-family homes facing Sauganash Avenue. The brick townhouses would stand 43 feet tall, with sloping roofs and bay windows, some featuring second-story bay windows and stone detailing. They would range from 2,100 square feet to 3,300 square feet and would sell for $450,000 to $800,000. The single-family homes are expected to start at $900,000.

"These are high-quality buildings that attract young couples who want the chance to live in this community," May said.

WHILE MAY brought consultants to address flooding and architectural design concerns, most residents were quick to cite height and density of the townhouses as their main issue. Most expressed concern that the development would change the character of the neighborhood and set a bad precedent for the future.

"Your project is very nice, but it is Lincoln Park," said resident Nyra Gay. "It's not us. This is too big, too high, and too dense in an area that is almost all single-family homes. People moving into Sauganash are moving from these types of buildings in Lincoln Park."

Resident Ray Stanton agreed, saying, "You are building these so people can move into the neighborhood we love, but you are changing the face of our community. I don't think these are the type of buildings that are right for our town."

However, no matter what the appearance of the buildings, some were opposed to the concept of bringing townhouses into a community where most people move to settle and raise families.

"We bought here a year ago because it was an established community," said resident Jean Harris. "I think these attract transient people. To sardine a bunch of people in on Peterson Avenue is a tragedy. I'm all for expansion, but not on such a grand scale."

"People stay here a long time," Gay said. "People only move out of Sauganash when they can't live in houses anymore."

Some residents expressed concern about the added traffic and the possible shortage of parking created by the development. The proposal suggests extending either Kildare Avenue or Tripp Avenue south to Peterson in order to give home owners access to Sauganash Glen from Peterson.

Consultant Robert DuBoe, vice president of the Metro Transportation Group, said the nearby intersection of Peterson, Sauganash and Rogers avenues would be able to handle the added traffic and that the new homes would generate about 110 vehicles a day, about one-fourth the traffic that an office building might create.

RESIDENTS SEEMED more concerned with the implications of extending the city street, fearing that motorists would use it as a shortcut from Peterson Avenue to Devon Avenue, sending vehicles speeding down their residential streets. Currently, the only through street from Peterson to Devon is Kedvale Avenue, leaving the rest of the neighborhood cut off from most through traffic.

"Eventually people will figure it out," said resident Susan Lapitan. "Right now we feel we are a tucked-away community."

Others questioned whether the parking plan presented by May was realistic and suggested residential parking designations if the proposal was approved. "It's a mind game that you can park on Peterson," one resident said. "There is never any parking there."

The townhouses are proposed with a fourth floor at the rear of the building that most will utilized as a spare room, study or recreation room. Some residents suggested that the fourth floor be eliminated as a compromise.

To ease concerns, May showed several slides of local buildings similar in height. He said architects worked to lessen the appearance of height with slanting roofs and borrowed historical design elements from other homes in Sauganash to keep with the character of the community.

Residents argued that many of the buildings in the presentation were from Sauganash, not Sauganash Park. The former Chicago & North Western Railroad right of way just to the west of the site forms the boundary between the two adjacent neighborhoods.

"These buildings are not in our neighborhood, but even so all of the buildings have a lot of space around them," said Stanton. "You are proposing a wall around our area."

Multi-unit residences line the north side of Sauganash Avenue across from the site, shielding the commercial property from the residences to the north. While residents said those homes do not fit the usual mold of Sauganash Park, May said the R3-zoned homes could serve as a transition to the more dense development.

INCREASING residents' anxiety about the project are 12 townhouses at 4321-35 W. Peterson on which construction began in 2001. None of the four-story 50-foot-tall units have sold, but May pointed out differences between the Rezmar proposal and the existing development. He said that the Sauganash Glen townhouses would not appear as tall because of the slanting roof, that they would be part of a community with more green space and that they would allow buyers to choose from among several high-quality amenities, while the existing townhouses are offered for sale as-is.

"Our homes are meant to blend into the neighborhood," May said. "There are numerous options that will give each home its own character."

The site includes 171 garage and surface parking spaces, including a one-and-a-half-car or two-car garage for each townhouse, with a deeded outdoor space for those with a smaller garage. Single-family homes would have three-car garages. May estimated 29 visitor parking spaces on the new city street and 28 on Peterson and Sauganash, saying the street spaces would see the most use during weekdays, while visitors would mostly use them overnight and on weekends.

Laurino said that she would meet with community leaders and the developer again to discuss the issues raised at the meeting and to consider options. "It's only fitting that the developer go back to the drawing board and address these concerns," she said.

HOWEVER, LAURINO said the C2-1 zoning of the site allows for a more dense development. May said that Rezmar originally considered a development with a commercial use on the ground floor and residential units above but that plans quickly changed because the company determined that the development would be too dense for the site. The developers would seek approval of a planned development for the Sauganash Glen project.

"Something is going to happen at this site," Laurino said. "It's important to not turn our backs and say wait until the next time."

Rezmar has found success with other projects, including Hudson Tower in the River North area, Saint John's Park Townhomes in River West and the River Walk Townhomes.

If the proposal is approved, May expects to demolish the former Skil building this winter and begin the 2-year construction of Sauganash Glen by next summer. He defended the townhouses to those at the meeting, saying families are attracted to them because they are maintenance-free and they are new, rather than rehabilitated.

"I think it's a trend that's coming," May said. "People questioned why we would want to build these where there were homes and all were successful. They are very popular. They serve a market niche that you may not be aware of because you've lived in this neighborhood a very long time."

However, Mike Kelly, a Sauganash resident for 44 years, and a Director of the Sauganash Community Association, pointed to a different long-standing trend. 'The Sauganash area is a suburban environment in the city," he said. "I think this reverses that whole trend."

July 18, 2004

Leaders review plans for Skil development
by BRIAN NADIG

Community leaders at a July 12 ting raised concerns about the height of 67 four-story townhouses proposed for the former site of the Skil Power Tools headquarters, 4300 W. Peterson Ave., and about parking availability at the development, which also would feature 12 two-story single-family homes on the 4.42-acre site.

The leaders received a sneak preview of the proposed project from the Rezmar Corporation at a 90-minute meeting at Alderman Margaret Laurino's office, 4404 W. Lawrence Ave. A meeting for area residents will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday. July 20, fieldhouse, 5861 N. Kostner Ave.

Project architect Brian Kidd said that the townhouses would be situated mostly along Peterson Avenue and around a 22,000-square-foot green space in the middle of the site, while the single-family homes would be located along Sauganash Avenue. He said that the homes would act as a buffer between the townhouses and the homes and two-flats to the north of the site.

Townhouses, with prices starting at about $450,000, would feature a brick exterior, dormers and bay windows and would range from 2,100 square feet to 3,300 square feet, while the homes, with starting at more than $900,00, would vary in design and would range from 3,600 square feet to 4,400 square feet. A new public street would run through the complex, giving motorists access to the site from both Peterson and Sauganash, with additional access available from a public alley which run between those two streets along the east end of the site.

REZMAR OFFICIALS said that the townhouses would be so that both the front and rear are equally appealing, and they compared some of the exterior design elements of the units to those of a bungalow. The townhouses would have either a 1 1/2-car or 2-car garage, with a deeded outdoor parking space for units with the smaller garage, while the homes would each have a three-car garage.

Several residents told the Rezmar representatives that while the architectural design of the townhouses was appealing, they appear to be more suitable for higher-density neighborhoods such as Lincoln Park where rowhouse-style homes are more popular. They suggested 43-foot-tall townhouses should be shorter and wider so that they would be more compatible with the mostly single-family character of Sauganash.

Several residents said that the fact that none of the 12 four-story townhouses in a project by a different developer at 4321-35 W. Peterson Ave. have sold since 2001 should that they should rethink the design of their units.  "We feel there is a strong market for new construction in this neighborhood," project manager Mark May responded, adding that older homes may not have some of the modern conveniences, such as walk-in closets and double vanities, which today's home buyers are seeking. "It's not just new construction, it's new design," he said.

He said that young couples in particular are looking to move to Sauganash from neighborhoods where rowhouse-style living is common and where they have become used to climbing stairs.

Rezmar officials said that the company has a successful track record in marketing its projects and that they feel the interior design and room sizes of their units would be more appealing to buyers than that of the unsold townhouses near Peterson and Kostner avenues. They also said that the new town-houses would not be as tall as the existing ones.

RESIDENTS ALSO expressed concern about the lack of visitor parking. May said that about 24 parking spaces would be available for visitors along the public street which would run through the complex. Some residents said that those spaces may be filled up during the day from overflow parking from an adjacent office complex and that residents of the new complex might eventually ask to have permit parking restrictions on the street.

Rezmar officials also estimated that about a dozen residents of the complex would attend public elementary schools. May said that the company's studies suggest that many parents would send their children to private schools and that the townhouses would more likely attract families with babies and toddlers than those with school-age children.

A traffic engineer reported that about 50 to 60 cars would enter or leave the site during peak rush-hour periods, compared to 75 to 100 cars when Skil was open there. Skil moved out of its 112,000-square-foot facility on the site last year and relocated to Mount Prospect. The site previously was the headquarters of the Walgreen Company.

Rezmar officials said that consultants will address concerns related to water retention and drainage on the site at the July 20 meeting.

July 4, 2004
Meeting slated on plans for Skil site
by ROBERT ELFINGER

The Sauganash Community Association and the Sauganash Park Community Association will hold a meeting to discuss a new residential development planned for the 193,000-square-foot site at 4300 W. Peterson Ave. which previously was home to the corporate headquarters of the maker of Skil power tools.

Rezmar Corporation, a residential developer, owns the land and plans to build 71 townhouses and eight single-family homes with prices ranging from $400,000 to $800,000, according to Sauganash Park association president Bill Riordan.

Rezmar representatives are expected to unveil plans for the project to residents at the meeting, which will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 20, at the Sauganash Park field house, 5861 N. Kostner Ave.

The site is across the street from the 137-unit Sauganash Village townhouse complex, which residents have described as an asset to the community. A 12-unit town-house development was built at 4321-35 W. Peterson Ave., but no units have been sold and the development remains vacant.

The triangular-shaped parcel is bordered by Sauganash Avenue on the north, railroad tracks on the west and Peterson Avenue on the south.

The site was the home to Skil from the mid-1980s until the company relocated to Mount Prospect last year. The site previously was the headquarters of the Walgreen Company.