City officials have issued a building permit for a two-story, 200,000-square-foot warehouse at 2900 N. Western Ave. in Avondale, despite strong opposition from nearby residents who are concerned about traffic and safety.
Background
The permit was issued July 1 after nearly three years of review. The site is already zoned for industrial use and did not require a zoning change or City Council approval.
In 2017, developer Stanislaw Pluta sought to rezone the property for residential development, but the city denied the request. Six years later, Pluta applied to build a warehouse and distribution facility to store and distribute products like granite, stone, and other building materials.
Neighbors pushed back against the proposal, creating a petition that garnered over 300 signatures. They cited traffic, pollution, and other safety issues as concerns.
Traffic Safety Concerns
Neighbors have also been calling for added safety measures near the proposed site and at the intersection of George Street and Western Avenue, where two cars crashed in a span of four days this spring. The intersection has seen a total of 21 crashes between 2024 and April 2026, compared with 18 between 2022-2024, according to city crash data.
Ald. Anthony Quezada’s 35th Ward Office requested a traffic study for the intersection due to concerns over cars using the bus lane to speed around traffic and colliding with other cars turning from Western onto George.
Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.
