Preliminary renderings have emerged for a second phase of Optima’s Optima Verdana project in Wilmette. Planned for the former Imperial Motors site, the second phase would rise just to the north of the first phase at 721 Green Bay Road.

Designed by the team at Optima, this second phase would match the height of the first phase, reaching a height of 62 feet with six floors. The glassy exterior and vertical landscaping will be incorporated into the design and the building massing will feature more setbacks than the first phase.

The building would accommodate 150 rental units with a mix of one-beds, two-beds, and three-beds. The ground floor would hold commercial space and an outdoor plaza for public use that measures approximately 4,000 square feet.

According to The Record North Shore, to gain approval for the project, Optima would have to submit a pre-application, undergo a Village staff review, file a preliminary application, and eventually go in front of the Appearance Review Commission, Plan Commission and Village Board.

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Your eyes are not playing tricks on you and you are not experiencing deja vu. If it feels like you’ve seen the above image before, it’s because you have — sort of.

The preliminary rendering is of Optima Verdana Phase 2, a nearly identical concept and design as Optima Verdana, which was erected in Wilmette on Green Bay Road over the past two years.

The Village of Wilmette confirmed that Optima has a deal in place to acquire the property at 721-739 Green Bay Road, known as the former Imperial Motors site. The agreement is contingent on Optima gaining approval to develop the land into Optima Verdana Phase II.

According to preliminary plans viewed by The Record, the project would be six stories and 62 feet tall — matching that of Phase I next door. It would feature up to 150 rental units in a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts, as well as commercial space on the ground level.

Optima announced its proposal to neighbors via letter, inviting them to an open house to discuss the project from 6-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 31, at the Wilmette Public Library.

Wilmette Village Manager Mike Braiman said Optima has not officially filed its new concept with the village and the earliest it would be in front of public officials is November.

“This type of redevelopment of that site is consistent with the goals of our village center master plan, and it would be the most reasonable proposal we’ve seen to date (for that site),” Braiman said. “That said, there are going to be a lot of questions from the plan commission and Village Board, feedback from neighbors and the community at large.”

While the Phase II plan shows glass exterior and vertical landscaping like Phase I, in a significant difference from its sister building, it will set back its top floors from the sidewalk “to create a tapering effect that aesthetically concludes the combined forms with a rhythmic, logical ending,” the project overview says.

Along Green Bay Road to the east and the alley to the west, the building will rise 51 feet before a 15 1/2-foot setback of the sixth floor. On the north side, adjacent to Washington Street, the building will set back its top three floors with the top floor removed nearly 44 feet from the sidewalk elevation.

According to Optima’s preliminary plans, it hopes to keep Starbucks on the ground floor of the building. The two adjacent buildings would be about 60 feet apart but meet at the ground level with a 4,000-square-foot outdoor plaza that diners and the public could use. Another open space would be installed on the north side of the building.

Phase I offers units for between $2,956 to more than $12,000 (2 penthouse units, already rented) per month. Inside, its first floor includes amenities such as a pickleball/basketball court, golf simulator, yoga studio, fitness center, business center, dog park, and interior and exterior lounges.

As a condition of the original project’s approval, Optima paid the Village of Wilmette $1.6 million to support affordable-housing initiatives villagewide — a payment that was executed in the fall of 2021. The funds, according to previous Record reporting, were granted to Community Partners for Affordable Housing, which believes it can turn the support into at least 15 affordable units.

Optima’s preliminary plans state it will present a proposal to support affordable housing at a later date. Braiman said the Village would look for Optima to contribute a minimum of what it did for Phase I.

If Optima moves forward, it would submit a pre-application, endure a Village staff review, file a preliminary application, and eventually go in front of the Appearance Review Commission, Plan Commission and Village Board.

“This is going to be a long, challenging review process for Optima,” Braiman said. “We will look to feedback from community and impact on the community and for the plan commission and village board for a final decision.”

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Public hearings on the second phase of the Optima Verdana luxury apartments on Green Bay Road in Wilmette are expected to start in February and plans include more than $2 million earmarked for affordable housing in village, officials said.

Optima Verdana Phase 2, at 721 to 739 Green Bay Road, is still in the planning stage but if the village board signs off on the project later this year it will be build directly north of Optima Verdana Phase 1 at 1210 Central Ave.

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Plans for a second large residential development from Optima in Wilmette’s Green Bay Road Corridor continue to evolve.

For the second time, Optima requested and was granted a delay in the Village of Wilmette’s public review of the plans as the company “responds to the feedback we’ve received from the community members and the Village of Wilmette,” said David Hovey Jr, Optima’s president and chief operating officer, in an email to The Record.

It is unclear when the review process will resume; however, Village Manager Mike Braiman does not expect a lengthy delay. Different components of Optima’s plans for Optima Lumina, the revised name for the development, must be considered by the Village of Wilmette’s Housing Commission, Appearance Review Commission, Plan Commission and Board of Trustees.

Optima Lumina is a proposed six-story development at 721-739 Green Bay Road, adjacent to its sister building Optima Verdana, a six-story, 100-unit complex built from 2021-2023.

A primary change from Optima Lumina’s original plans, which featured a similar design to Optima Verdana, is the inclusion of further bird-friendly materials and design, Hovey Jr. said.

The change comes in the wake of criticism from Wilmette volunteers who tracked bird collisions at Optima Verdana in October 2023, according to reporting from The Record.

In response, Optima reportedly is making the glaze on its windows less transparent and improving other components of its “bird collision deterrence design,” Hovey Jr. wrote.

Other changes in the most recent plans, Hovey Jr. said, include: a reduction on the exposed glazing on the exterior of the building, more open space and building separation between the two Optima buildings, and the incorporation of colors that blend with traditional building materials.

The Village of Wilmette confirmed last August that Optima had a conditional deal in place to purchase and develop the land where a former Imperial Motors factory is located, 721-739 Green Bay Road.

According to Optima’s preliminary plans, the development would be a six-story building with 150 rental units with one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts and commercial space on the ground floor. The revised plans list fewer units (135) that are no longer rentals but condominiums.

Optima had also previously stated that it planned to keep the Starbucks restaurant on the ground floor.

The building is being designed to feature a tapering effect on the top floors that will set back the building from the sidewalk, initial plans said. Along the north side of the building, the building will set back the top three floors with the top floor removed nearly 44 feet from the sidewalk elevation. On the east side of the building, the building will rise 51 feet before a 15 and a half-foot setback of the sixth floor.

Optima stated that they are also looking to include a 4,000-square-foot outdoor plaza that would be open for diners and the public.

As part of the Optima Verdana approval, Optima paid the Village of Wilmette $1.6 million to support affordable housing initiatives in the village. The funds were paid in the fall of 2021 and granted to Community Partners for Affordable Housing.

Optima’s preliminary plans stated it would present a proposal to support affordable housing at a later date. Braiman has said the Village would look for Optima to contribute a minimum of what it did for Verdana.

Read more on The Record North Shore

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Optima Inc has received final village board approval for Optima Lumina, a 128-unit luxury residential building in downtown Wilmette on Chicago’s North Shore. The six-story building features one- to three-bedroom residences of up to nearly 3,000 square feet, almost 5,900 square feet of retail space, a large public plaza, robust amenity package and a number of sustainable features, including Optima’s proprietary Vertical Landscaping System.

Replacing the long-vacant former Imperial Motors car dealership located at 720-739 Green Bay Road, the transit-oriented development is conveniently located directly across from Wilmette’s Metra rail commuter station. It also is immediately north of Optima’s 100-unit, high-end rental community, Optima Verdana, which welcomed residents in 2023 and is now fully leased with a significant waitlist. The residences at Optima Lumina are envisioned as for-sale condominiums but may shift based on market conditions.

“The success of Optima Verdana has demonstrated the high demand for luxury new-construction multifamily housing on the North Shore,” said David Hovey, Jr. AIA, president of Optima, Inc. “Optima Lumina builds on that demand by offering the option for current residents looking to downsize from single-family homes as well as would-be North Shore buyers struggling to find a home due to the area’s low inventory of available housing. Optima is committed to serving as responsible long-term stewards of downtown Wilmette, and we look forward to Optima Lumina enhancing the community and its vibrant character.”

Conceived as a complementary but entirely stand-alone community from neighboring Optima Verdana, Optima Lumina is separated from its neighbor by a 75-foot-wide publicly accessible landscaped plaza containing outdoor seating, public art and a fountain. Optima Lumina further differentiates itself from Optima Verdana through its own unique architectural language and identity, which includes the company’s first-ever use of terracotta in a building facade system.

Optima Lumina’s innovative exterior design also incorporates the developer’s proprietary Vertical Landscaping System along its roofline and terraces, which will provide greenery on the building’s facade. The system was pioneered by Optima at its Arizona communities and made its Midwest debut at Optima Verdana by utilizing plant species selected to stay green year-round. The exterior plantings provide biophilic and sustainability benefits such as improved solar shading, evaporative cooling, air purification, noise reduction, stormwater management and balcony privacy as the greenery matures over time.

On its ground floor, Optima Lumina will offer resident amenities, including an indoor basketball and pickleball court; sports lounge with a golf simulator and indoor putting green; and a fitness center with dedicated yoga and Pilates studios. According to Hovey Jr., Optima intends to retain the existing Starbucks at 739 Green Bay Road within one of Optima Lumina’s new commercial spaces, complete with dedicated outdoor seating and off-street retail parking. The building’s rooftop amenity sky deck features a resident lounge, showcase kitchen, clubroom, outdoor grilling areas, bocce court, steam room, sauna, cold plunge and lap pools with retractable glass walls, and sweeping views of downtown Wilmette and the surrounding treetop canopy.

In addition to being designed in-house, Optima Lumina will also be developed, built, sold and managed by Optima. The building is targeting a Two Green Globes certification, a sustainability rating that evaluates a property’s environmental impact, energy efficiency, water conservation and indoor air quality. Optima Lumina’s notable sustainable features include the use of VRF heating and cooling systems, eco-friendly induction cooktops, electric outdoor grills and providing 100% EV charging capacity in its below-ground parking garage.

As part of the firm’s zoning agreement with the Village, Optima will provide a $3.8 million contribution to advance affordable housing in Wilmette. The donation is more than double the $1.6 million affordable housing contribution the firm previously made with the approval of Optima Verdana.

Read more on Urbanize Chicago

Visit Optima Lumina for more details

Optima, Inc. has received final village board approval for Optima Lumina, a 128-unit luxury residential building in downtown Wilmette on Chicago’s North Shore.

The six-story building features one- to three-bedroom residences of up to nearly 3,000 square feet, almost 5,900 square feet of retail space, a large public plaza, and a robust amenity package. Replacing the long-vacant former Imperial Motors car dealership located at 720-739 Green Bay Road, the transit-oriented development is located directly across from Wilmette’s Metra rail commuter station.

It is also immediately north of Optima’s 100-unit, high-end rental community, Optima Verdana. “The success of Optima Verdana has demonstrated the high demand for luxury new-construction multifamily housing on the North Shore,” said David Hovey, Jr. AIA, president of Optima, Inc. “Optima Lumina builds on that demand by offering the option for current residents looking to downsize from single-family homes as well as would-be North Shore buyers struggling to find a home due to the area’s low inventory of available housing.”

Read more on Connect CRE

Visit Optima Lumina for more details

Integrated design-driven real estate firm Optima, Inc. has received final village board approval for Optima Lumina, a 128-unit luxury residential building in downtown Wilmette, Illinois on Chicago’s North Shore.

The six-story building features one- to three-bedroom residences of up to nearly 3,000 square feet, almost 5,900 square feet of retail space, a large public plaza, robust amenity package and a number of sustainable features, including Optima’s proprietary Vertical Landscaping System.

“The success of Optima Verdana has demonstrated the high demand for luxury new-construction multifamily housing on the North Shore,” said David Hovey, Jr. AIA, president of Optima, Inc. “Optima Lumina builds on that demand by offering the option for current residents looking to downsize from single-family homes as well as would-be North Shore buyers struggling to find a home due to the area’s low inventory of available housing. Optima is committed to serving as responsible long-term stewards of downtown Wilmette, and we look forward to Optima Lumina enhancing the community and its vibrant character.”

Conceived as a complementary but entirely stand-alone community from neighboring Optima Verdana, Optima Lumina is separated from its neighbor by a 75-foot-wide publicly accessible landscaped plaza containing outdoor seating, public art and a fountain. Optima Lumina further differentiates itself from Optima Verdana through its own unique architectural language and identity, which includes the company’s first-ever use of terracotta in a building façade system.

“We appreciate the engagement from the Village stakeholders including Mike Braiman, John Adler, the Village staff, the Village Board and Commissions, and the community members for their collaboration throughout this process,” said Hovey Jr. “We are also grateful to the Arons family, who have owned this site for over 60 years, for this opportunity. Optima Lumina is going to be a wonderful addition to the Village, and we are excited about the future ahead.”

Optima Lumina’s innovative exterior design also incorporates the developer’s proprietary Vertical Landscaping System along its roofline and terraces, which will provide greenery on the building’s façade. The system was pioneered by Optima at its Arizona communities and made its Midwest debut at Optima Verdana by utilizing plant species selected to stay green year-round. The exterior plantings provide biophilic and sustainability benefits such as improved solar shading, evaporative cooling, air purification, noise reduction, stormwater management and balcony privacy as the greenery matures over time.

On its ground floor, Optima Lumina will offer resident amenities, including an indoor basketball and pickleball court; sports lounge with a golf simulator and indoor putting green; and a fitness center with dedicated yoga and Pilates studios. According to Hovey Jr., Optima intends to retain the existing Starbucks at 739 Green Bay Road within one of Optima Lumina’s new commercial spaces, complete with dedicated outdoor seating and off-street retail parking. The building’s rooftop amenity sky deck features a resident lounge, showcase kitchen, clubroom, outdoor grilling areas, bocce court, steam room, sauna, cold plunge and lap pools with retractable glass walls, and sweeping views of downtown Wilmette and the surrounding treetop canopy.

Residents of Optima Lumina will be placed within steps of downtown Wilmette’s vibrant town center and its array of boutiques and restaurants. The community’s unmatched proximity to the Metra station offers quick and easy access to downtown Chicago, making Lumina ideal for both commuting and downtown leisure activities.

In addition to being designed in-house, Optima Lumina will also be developed, built, sold and managed by Optima. The building is targeting a Two Green Globes certification, a sustainability rating that evaluates a property’s environmental impact, energy efficiency, water conservation and indoor air quality. Optima Lumina’s notable sustainable features include the use of VRF heating and cooling systems, eco-friendly induction cooktops, electric outdoor grills and providing 100% EV charging capacity in its below-ground parking garage.

As part of the firm’s zoning agreement with the Village, Optima will provide a $3.8 million contribution to advance affordable housing in Wilmette. The donation is more than double the $1.6 million affordable housing contribution the firm previously made with the approval of Optima Verdana.

Read more on Yield Pro

Visit Optima Lumina for more details

Integrated design-driven real estate firm Optima, Inc. has received final village board approval for Optima Lumina, a 128-unit luxury residential building in downtown Wilmette, Illinois, on Chicago’s North Shore.

The six-story building features one- to three-bedroom residences of up to nearly 3,000 square feet, almost 5,900 square feet of retail space, a large public plaza, robust amenity package and a number of sustainable features, including Optima’s proprietary Vertical Landscaping System.

Replacing the long-vacant former Imperial Motors car dealership located at 720-739 Green Bay Road, the transit-oriented development (TOD) is conveniently located directly across from Wilmette’s Metra rail commuter station. It also is immediately north of Optima’s 100-unit, high-end rental community, Optima Verdana, which welcomed residents in 2023 and is now fully leased with a significant waitlist. The residences at Optima Lumina are envisioned as for-sale condominiums but may shift based on market conditions.

Conceived as a complementary but entirely stand-alone community from neighboring Optima Verdana, Optima Lumina is separated from its neighbor by a 75-foot-wide publicly accessible landscaped plaza containing outdoor seating, public art and a fountain. Optima Lumina further differentiates itself from Optima Verdana through its own unique architectural language and identity, which includes the company’s first-ever use of terracotta in a building facade system.

Optima Lumina’s innovative exterior design also incorporates the developer’s proprietary Vertical Landscaping System along its roofline and terraces, which will provide greenery on the building’s facade. The system was pioneered by Optima at its Arizona communities and made its Midwest debut at Optima Verdana by utilizing plant species selected to stay green year-round. The exterior plantings provide biophilic and sustainability benefits such as improved solar shading, evaporative cooling, air purification, noise reduction, stormwater management and balcony privacy as the greenery matures over time.

On its ground floor, Optima Lumina will offer resident amenities, including an indoor basketball and pickleball court; sports lounge with a golf simulator and indoor putting green; and a fitness center with dedicated yoga and Pilates studios.

Residents of Optima Lumina will be placed within steps of downtown Wilmette’s vibrant town center and its array of boutiques and restaurants. The community’s unmatched proximity to the Metra station offers quick and easy access to downtown Chicago, making Lumina ideal for both commuting and downtown leisure activities.

In addition to being designed in-house, Optima Lumina will also be developed, built, sold and managed by Optima. The building is targeting a Two Green Globes certification, a sustainability rating that evaluates a property’s environmental impact, energy efficiency, water conservation and indoor air quality. Optima Lumina’s notable sustainable features include the use of VRF heating and cooling systems, eco-friendly induction cooktops, electric outdoor grills and providing 100% EV charging capacity in its below-ground parking garage.

As part of the firm’s zoning agreement with the Village, Optima will provide a $3.8 million contribution to advance affordable housing in Wilmette. The donation is more than double the $1.6 million affordable housing contribution the firm previously made with the approval of Optima Verdana.

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Village Board approval has been granted for the mixed-use development at 739 Green Bay Road in Wilmette. Dubbed Optima Lumina, the new structure will replace a series of one-story buildings adjacent to Optima’s other development Verdana next door. Designed in house, the project comes as Verdana is fully leased with a long wait list.

Rising six stories in height, the building will hug the northern end of the site and create a 75-foot wide plaza between Verdana with art and added seating. This publicly accessible space will also connect to the building’s 5,900 square feet of ground-floor retail, which will include a spot for the relocation of the Starbucks currently on the site.

Inside will be 128 residential units made up of one-, two-, and three-bedroom layouts, with floor plans reaching up to 3,000 square feet in size. Residents will have access to a ground floor fitness center, similar to Optima Lakeview, including basketball and pickleball courts, golf simulator and more. There will also be a rooftop amenity level with a bocce court, sauna, as well as cold plunge and lap pools with retractable glass walls.

To differentiate from the other Optima development next door, Lumina will use a terracotta panel facade system with Optima’s vertical garden system. Located across the street from the Metra station, those with cars will be able to use the building’s underground parking garage. Currently a final cost nor timeline is known, but construction should begin soon.

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