With assist from residents, Wilmette rejects Northwestern’s construction request

Isabella Street residents of Wilmette made it clear during a virtual meeting Wednesday evening that they do not want construction vehicles using their street during an upcoming softball stadium renovation at Northwestern University.

And the Village of Wilmette listened, denying the university’s request two days later, Friday, Aug. 15.

The meeting, held via Zoom on Aug. 13, provided an opportunity for Northwestern officials to explain the project and why they want to use Isabella, and also for residents and Wilmette officials to learn and gather feedback.

NU’s request necessitates an amendment to a 2023 agreement in which the university pledged to keep construction traffic off of Wilmette streets. The agreement stemmed from NU’s contentious Ryan Field rebuild, which is ongoing, but prohibited any construction traffic.

Wilmette Village Manager Mike Braiman said that Northwestern requested Wednesday’s meeting to get a chance to plead their case to Wilmette residents.

Braiman said that many residents reached out to him about the issue, estimating that he had responded to about 60 emails over “the last few days.”

Braiman and the Village were “gathering facts and information” from Wednesday’s meeting and made no decision that night. By Friday, however, Braiman said the Village had enough insight on the issue and rejected NU’s request.

In a Friday email to NU Director of Neighborhood and Community Relations Dave Davis, Braiman wrote, “The Village’s first obligation is to ensure that we maintain the quality of life and safety of our residents which is best done by limiting construction impacts in Wilmette to the greatest extent that we can. Accordingly, construction traffic for the Northwestern softball stadium project will not be permitted in Wilmette.”

The softball stadium and Ryan Field

Northwestern’s head softball coach Kate Drohan told residents on Wednesday that the new stadium — which is located in the same footprint as the current stadium adjacent to Ryan Field at the Evanston campus — will address a number of issues for the program.

They include adding a permanent locker room, a permanent seating section behind home plate, and an area for the media to set up.

“We have an opportunity here, with some funding, to tuck this project in during the timeline of the Ryan Field project,” Drohan said. “So this will not extend construction on site.”

The project is powered by a $5 million gift from Winnetka residents Kip and Sara Kirkpatrick, after whom the stadium will be named.

Ryan Field is currently undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation project, which was approved in late 2023. The project, which will allow NU to host concerts at the stadium in addition to sporting events, has been controversial among both NU’s neighbors and southern Wilmette residents, who rallied against the project and led to an official Wilmette Village Board objection.

After the Ryan Field project was approved by a split 5-4 Evanston City Council, Wilmette and NU officials agreed to a deal in an effort to mitigate the new stadium’s local impact.

Regarding the softball project, Kerry Galbraith, NU’s director of project management, said staff looked at different ways to enter the construction site; however, he said Isabella ended up being their “only option” due to being “land-locked,” with Ryan Field to the south, neighbors to the east and buildings on the west.

“The only way in and out of this is to head north onto Isabella,” Galbraith said.

‘Come up with a solution that does not impact Wilmette’

Even before Northwestern officials began talking about the project, opposition was apparent, with multiple residents sharing their thoughts in the Zoom chat.

“I do not care about (Northwestern’s) priorities,” Tracy Pintchman wrote. “I have lived here 21 years. NO.”

Due to technology limitations, the meeting was only 30 minutes, but that was enough for many of the more than 30 Wilmette residents to state their opposition.

Isabella resident Florine Pascal said she has noticed a recent increase in cars parked along the street.

“Currently there is always a mass of cars parked along Isabella, along Ryan Field, and so the visibility coming off of Ashland (Avenue) is non-existent,” she said, later adding, “I just worry about adding even more incoming (traffic) on Isabella because it already feels quite dangerous.”

Larry Dykstra questioned officials as to why they didn’t seek a construction route in Evanston instead of having to go into Wilmette.

Northwestern representatives responded that they looked at all possible options and determined that it’s “not practical” to go through Evanston.

Beth Feeley said she and other residents are frustrated because they had already gone through a similar process with the Ryan Field construction. She asked what would happen if Northwestern decides to do another project while Ryan Field is under construction.

“Is that going to be on us again to then get up and defend ourselves?” she asked. “Come up with a solution that does not impact Wilmette, please.”

Multiple residents, including Debbie Thiersch, said NU should have made a plan for construction vehicles before the Ryan Field project even started.

“I don’t believe that you should be using Wilmette streets at all,” she said. “I don’t want the pollution and the noise any closer to my house than it already is.”

Evanston resident Dana Hoffman said she has had to deal with construction vehicles idling on her street, Central Avenue, and said it only stopped when she called the Evanston Police Department and had the vehicles cited.

“We have been inundated (with dust and traffic), so expanding the scope of your project does not interest me,” Hoffman said. “And Wilmette, I’m just warning you that this is the situation over here.”

Braiman said at the conclusion of the meeting that he had enough information to know where the residents stood, and said the village will keep everyone informed as to the next steps.

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