Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
The city’s planning department is establishing its first design committee of outside experts to weigh in on major developments before they get built.
The Committee on Design, appointed by the Department of Planning and Development, will advise the city and developers about innovative, attractive and cost-effective elements, officials said. The 24 unpaid members include architects, artists, academics and real estate professionals.
The committee will be an extra stop for projects that already must get approval from department staff, the City Council and, in some cases, the Chicago Plan Commission. But officials said the committee will streamline reviews and approvals by clarifying designs early in the process.