Belmont-Narragansett plans to be presented at community meeting

by BRIAN NADIG

Alderman Gilbert Villegas (36th) will hold a community meeting this month on a proposal to build a retail-residential project at the northeast corner of Belmont and Narragansett avenues, where the Peter Pan restaurant was once located.

The number of planned apartments would be in the “mid-20s,” and commercial space would be located on the first floor, said aldermanic aide Justin Heath. Tentative plans call for a four-story building to be constructed near the intersection and a three-story structure to be built closer to homes which are located behind the site.

At least one parking space per apartment is planned, Heath said. The corner one-story building on the 32,000-square-foot parcel, 6338-60 W. Belmont Ave., has been vacant for years.

The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, at the West Belmont Library, 3104 N. Narragansett Ave. The meeting is being held in conjunction with the Northwest Side Housing Center, Belmont Cragin United and the Islamic Community Center of Illinois.

On his Facebook page, Villegas said that the proposal is not a low-income housing project and that the planned apartments for the Belmont site would be offered at market rate.

In January, Villegas rejected a proposal to build a 55-unit affordable housing complex at 3655 N. Central Ave. after objections were raised at a community meeting. Those units would have been marketed toward families with a household income of about $45,000.