Deal done for temporary police station in Wilmette

The Wilmette Police Department now has its next home set.

Village trustees during their Tuesday, Oct. 14 meeting unanimously approved a resolution authorizing a lease agreement between the Village and the Wilmette Park District for use of Beth Hillel Bnai Emunah synagogue as temporary police headquarters.

As previously reported by The Record, the Wilmette Police Department will use a portion of the nearly 5-acre site at 3220 Big Tree Lane as its temporary headquarters during the construction of the department’s new police station on Ridge Road.

According to a memo from Village Manager Michael Braiman, police operations at Beth Hillel will include administration, social work, patrol, evidence processing and storage, the filing of police reports, digital forensics, and investigations.

Braiman added that the holding of prisoners and firearms range training will not take place at the temporary headquarters and instead will be done at offsite regional facilities.

Per the lease agreement, the village will pay the park district rent in the amount of $12,706 per month through Oct. 13 of next year. After that, the agreement calls for that amount to include a percentage increase equal to the consumer price index beginning on Oct. 14, 2026.

The agreement will go into effect no later than Jan. 1 of next year, the lease says, but it can begin earlier if Braiman and Chris Lindgren, the park district’s executive director, agree.

Additionally, the lease includes an option to extend or terminate the agreement with 30 days notice at any time during the two-year term.

The village is responsible for maintaining and repairing the building, per Braiman, but Wilmette can terminate the lease if officials decide that repairs are “too extensive or not in the village’s best interest.”

Officials are currently estimating the total Village cost to operate the temporary headquarters will be $430,000. That figure, per Braiman’s memo, earmarks $242,000 in rent payments and $188,000 to renovate the space for a “functional temporary police headquarters.”

The Record first reported in March of last year that the park district was working on terms to purchase the property, a deal that ended up at $5.4 million. The parcel, located in southwest Wilmette off of Glenview Road and near the Edens Expressway, is approximately 4.8 acres, per park district documents.

Beth Hillel had owned the property — which includes a 54,000-square-foot building that features classrooms, a playground, a garden, more than 150 parking spaces and a main sanctuary — since 1961.

The department’s need for temporary headquarters comes as the village prepares to begin work on the multi-million-dollar endeavor of constructing a new police station at 710 Ridge Road.

Village officials have previously stated the project is expected to cost $50.5 million for the new facility that is anticipated to be upward of 50,000 square feet.

Construction work on the new station is slated to begin in spring of 2026.

Since purchasing the property, park district officials have on multiple occasions stated that they do not yet have a plan for how they will use the property.

In June of this year, commissioners voted to approve a committee to steer the planning for the new property in west Wilmette.

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Skokie Village Board to vote on 68-townhome development for vacant school lot

A 68-townhome residential development may be built on the site of a vacant Hebrew day school after a Skokie commission agreed last week to send the project to the Village Board for final consideration.

The Skokie Plan Commission voted unanimously on Thursday, Oct. 16, to recommend that trustees allow Fulton Street Companies, a Chicago-based real-estate developer, construct three-story rental townhouses on a 3.9-acre lot of land located near the intersection of Main Street and Kilpatrick Avenue.

Arie Crown Hebrew Day School, a nonprofit that first opened a school at the site in the mid-1980s, closed the building in April this year after consolidating its campus to 7787 Gross Point Road, said Brian Levinson, a member of Arie Crown’s executive board.

Luz and Associates #1, a different developer, obtained approval from the Village Board in February 2024 to construct a significantly similar design of 68 townhomes at the same site.

That developer, however, later “folded,” and construction never began, according to Kate Portillo, a planning manager with Skokie’s Community Development Department, on Thursday.

Arie Crown still retains ownership of the vacant school building property at 4600 Main St. but has agreed to sell the property if the development moves forward, Levinson said.

If the Village Board ultimately approves the latest proposal for the site at an upcoming but yet-unscheduled meeting, the multi-family residential development will create 24 two-bedroom units and 44 three-bedroom units, all with two-car garages. The site would provide 158 total parking spaces.

Jeff Burman, vice chair of the Skokie Plan Commission, asks a question to a representative of the developer on Oct. 16. | Photo by Samuel Lisec/The Record North Shore

The Inclusionary Housing Ordinance the Village Board passed in May 2024 requires that new residential developments of this size maintain 5% of the housing units — in this case, four housing units — at an affordable rate of rent in line with the area median income.

Fulton Street Companies, however, has petitioned to take advantage of an alternative measure allowed by the housing ordinance to make a cash payment to the village of $450,000 as “fee in lieu” of providing the four affordable units.

Seven individuals addressed the commission on Thursday with concerns or opposition to the proposed development.

Thomas Whitaker, who identified himself as a Skokie resident living on Kilpatrick Avenue, argued that the proposal “squeezes too many townhomes on the site” and urged the commission to reject the development plan as he believes it does not complement the surrounding residential area.

“To my knowledge, there are no three-story buildings adjacent to the site that overlook two-story homes, so I understand my Elm Terrace neighbors’ concerns about having multiple three-story buildings overlooking our private backyards,” Whitaker said.

Resident Emi Yamauchi expressed concern about the lack of affordable housing.

The green space in the center of a site plan for the project would be open to the public, a representative of Fulton Street Companies said on Oct. 16. | IMAGE FROM FULTON STREET COMPANIES

“The period of validity for their permits has lapsed and I believe that the whole project deserves a full review, primarily because if we really want to have an inclusive, welcoming Skokie, we should be looking at a balanced housing market,” she said.

“Right now, all I see are luxury, high-rent apartments being constructed with no on-site affordable housing. Four hundred thousand dollars is chump change for any kind of construction work,” Yamauchi said in reference to the developer’s “fee in lieu” of affordable units.

Levinson, who also serves on Skokie’s Economic Development Commission, argued the proposed development would help revitalize Main Street and drive economic development in the village.

“There are a number of neighbors that are not happy. All of us would love to have an open park, lots of space around us, but the positives that this will bring for the greater village, I believe, far outweigh what some of those negatives are,” Levinson said.

Portillo informed the commission that village staff recommended approval of the site plan, in part because added infrastructure to the site is expected to improve water pressure to the area and the removal of school-related restrictions should improve the availability of surrounding on-street parking.

The project would also increase property tax revenue on an otherwise vacant site, said Portillo, who also added that updated traffic analysis does not anticipate the residential development would create “undue traffic congestion,” but instead lower daily traffic volume than the property’s previous use as a school.

A street-view rendering of the 68-townhome residential proposal to enter the current site of the Arie Crown Hebrew School.

Alluding to a version of the development approved in 2024 and expressing concerns about the project being further “cheapened” in materials or design, Commissioner Scott Berman motioned for the proposal to gain approval only if it remains in substantially the same condition as presented.

After a debate among the commissioners over the extent of the Skokie Plan Commission’s authority, however, Berman withdrew his motion.

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History By Design: All Aboard! the story behind Glencoe’s historic depot

Commuters take their ride on Metra for granted as their means of getting into the city, but the stations along the North Line have special appeal.

In 1855, the Chicago & Milwaukee Railroad (later the Chicago & North Western Railway) provided the only reliable means of transportation north from Chicago. There was the Green Bay Trail, an old Native American travel route, but that was about it.

One of the earliest stations along the line was in Glencoe. But the first settlement of the area was not where the station is currently located. It was Taylorsport, an early logging and shipping community settled by fur trader Anson Taylor in 1835 centered on Harbor Street.

In 1854, Walter Gurnee, president of the railroad, built a large house with elaborate landscaping on several hundred acres that belonged to his father-in-law, Matthew Coe. It was called Glencoe Farms. For years it has been known as The Castle and today the house has been lovingly restored.

In 1855, when the railroad came through, the area’s depot was built across from Gurnee’s house not at Taylorsport, which didn’t survive without rail access.

The first train station was a modest frame building that by the 1880s was dilapidated. At that time the Village of Glencoe, which had been incorporated in 1869, had a population of approximately 600 residents and was beginning to develop as a residential suburb. A new depot may have been part of the development.

Charles Sumner Frost, a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (America’s first architecture school) was the station architect. Undoubtedly, he was familiar with the Romanesque Revival train stations designed by famed architect H.H. Richardson that dotted the commuter lines in Boston.

A color photo of the station from the 1970s.

The 1891 Glencoe depot, 724 Old Green Bay Road, is an imposing brick masonry building, substantial to withstand the vibrations of multiple trains passing through. Its sheltering roof — designed to shield passengers from rain and snow — extends over the platform.

Rusticated limestone piers buttress the roof and limestone quoins define the corners of the building. A cylindrical tower with a conical roof projects through the sloping gable roofline and beyond the overhang.

The first floor of the tower housed the ticket agent. To the north is a semi-attached baggage room.

The overall impression recalls Medieval architecture. There were originally two separate entrances: one for men and one for women. During the station’s early years, the railroad grew flowers to make their stations more inviting for riders.

In 1897, Charles Frost married Mary Hughitt, a daughter of Marvin Hughitt, then president of the Chicago & North Western Railway. The next year he partnered with Alfred Hoyt Granger, who married another daughter of Hughitt. From that time forward, Frost & Granger designed dozens of stations for the North Western, including the Chicago Terminal — now replaced by the Ogilvie Transportation Center designed by Helmut Jahn.

Hughitt didn’t need to look beyond his own family for designing rail stations throughout the Midwest.

Two years before the Glencoe train station was built, one was erected in the Ravinia business district of Highland Park at 510 Roger Williams. It is a wood structure, but like its Glencoe neighbor has a sheltering roof and a tower. The tower is polygonal with a bay for the ticket agent to watch for trains.

Originally the station contained two waiting rooms: one for men and one for women and children. To the south is a train stop at Ravinia Park. It is said that conductor Sir Thomas Beecham commented that “Ravinia Park is the only railroad stop in the world with its own symphony orchestra.”

History By Design is The Record’s monthly column focusing on the North Shore’s special and influential architectural history. Local historians and authors Susan S. Benjamin and Robert A. Sideman write and research the column, and the Glencoe Historical Society contributed photographs for this edition.

Second straight loss puts Loyola’s season on the ropes

After winning the IHSA Class 8A championship each of the last three years, Loyola Academy is going into the final game of the regular season in danger of not making the playoffs

For the second game in a row, the Ramblers suffered a major setback Friday night when they were routed 42-14 by Carmel Catholic at Hoerster Field.

This was the sophomore-reliant Ramblers’ worst defeat since their 34-7 loss to East St. Louis in the first game of the 2024 season, and it’s the first time they’ve had at least three regular-season defeats since 2019.

The result leaves Loyola with a 4-3 record going into their Friday night (Oct. 24) home field matchup with undefeated Mount Carmel (8-0), winner of the last three Class 7A championships.

Another defeat would leave Loyola, which has advanced to the playoff tournament every season since 2002, on the postseason bubble.

“We have to beat Mount Carmel to be the co-champions of the Catholic League Blue Division,” coach Beau Desherow told The Record. “If we lose and are 4-4, you never know how the points (for playoff eligibility) shake out. If we get our fifth win we’re assured on being in. We want to control our destiny.”

Before the Carmel game Loyola’s volunteer assistant coach Pat Fitzgerald gave a succinct scouting report. “Their quarterback is outstanding,” the former Northwestern coach said. “Maybe the best I’ve seen.”

Carmel’s senior quarterback Trae Taylor was at his best against the Ramblers. He completed 25 of 31 passes for 349 yards and carried 12 times for 37 yards. In leading the Corsairs to their sixth victory in eight games the Nebraska recruit ran 1 yard for their first touchdown and threw TD passes for their second, third, fourth and sixth TDs on plays covering 24, 5, 13 and 13 yards, respectively.

Neither team made a serious threat until late in the first quarter when the Ramblers’ three sophomore standouts — quarterback Matthew Lee, wide receiver Jordan McKinley and halfback Melo Maldonado —led them on an 81-yard scoring drive.

Sophomore Jordan McKinley scores the Ramblers’ first touchdown on Oct. 10.

The touchdown came on Lee’s 10-yard pass to McKinley in the right corner of the end zone with 75 seconds to play in the quarter, and it was followed by senior Zack Zeman’s extra-point kick.

Lee and McKinley also collaborated on the bizarre big play in the drive: a fumbled handoff that wound up back in Lee’s hands and the surprised quarterback then hurled a 30-yard pass to McKinley that put the football on the Carmel 14.

After the game’s first touchdown Carmel embarked on an 80-yard touchdown drive spearheaded by Taylor. Jack Doyle’s extra-point kick enabled the Corsairs to tie the score with 81 seconds elapsed in the second quarter.

Their go-ahead touchdown came on another 80-yard drive led by Taylor. Sophomore wide receiver Greg Bess-Henning was the recipient of the touchdown pass.

In the third quarter Carmel broke open the game by scoring four touchdowns — on another catch by Bess-Henning, sophomore Kyron Hart’s reception, sophomore Jaquel Edmonds’ 15-yard run and senior tight end Joseph Akalauonu’s reception.

Sandwiched between two of those scores was Maldonado’s 18-yard TD run and Zeman’s second extra-point conversion for the Ramblers.

Maldonado finished with 77 yards in 13 rushing attempts and caught 2 passes for 14 additional yards.

“The game plan was for me to run the football a lot,” the sophomore said. “Regardless of how well I played we still lost the game. There’s a lot of things we need to improve on.”

In an attempt to reverse the momentum, Desherow replaced Lee at quarterback with junior Dom Maloney after the third Carmel touchdown. Maloney began the season as the starter but was injured in the second half of the opener and since then has been backing up Lee.

He played relatively well against Carmel. His passing and running were the catalysts in the 80-yard drive that enabled the Ramblers to reduce their deficit to 28-14 and he finished with 58 yards passing on 6 completions in 13 attempts and he had 20 rushing yards to show for his 5 carries.

Robert Clingan picks up yardage after a catch for Loyola.

“We were down and I tried to do everything I could to light a spark” Maloney said.

“Our coaches do an awesome job of preparing us and they kept me ready. I felt comfortable when I came in.”

“There were some bright spots for us,” Desherow said, citing the running of Maldonado, Maloney’s performance in relief and “a few nice plays by our receivers.”

McKinley was the most effective of the receivers. Senior Robert Clingan and junior Brendan Fitzgerald also made some good catches.

On defense junior linebacker Will Mettee continued to make noteworthy contributions. “I tried to do my job and make as many tackles as I could,” he said.

But Mettee and his teammates simply couldn’t cope with the opposing quarterback.

“He’s the total package,” Desherow said of Taylor. “He’s athletic, he can throw and he can run. He’s a super-talented kid and a very bright kid.”

Taylor downplayed his impact.

“It’s not a one-man sport,” he said. “Loyola is a very good team (but) we outplayed them on both sides of the ball. Coming out for the second half we were only up 14-7. We went out and executed and pulled away.

“This year we have made a huge turnaround (after failing to make the playoffs in 2024).”

Now, the Ramblers must make a huge turnaround in their regular season finale to negate the possibility of missing the playoffs.

“We have 24 hours to refocus and prepare (for Mount Carmel),” said senior offensive lineman Colin Vardijan. “We have to do everything in our power to win. It’s our legacy that’s at stake.”

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Drubbing of GBN puts New Trier in playoff position for first time since 2021

With three years of varsity experience under his belt, football is a familiar game to Francis Karp.

But as the New Trier senior captain departed Robert Naughton Field Friday night, he was met with an unfamiliar feeling. For the first time as a Trevian, Karp and his teammates are headed to the IHSA playoffs.

“It feels amazing being part of this team,” Karp said. “I’ve played on this team for three years and this is our first time ever getting into the playoffs. This is my first time ever in my football career being on a team with a winning record, so it really is just amazing and it’s just a great way to go out.”

New Trier’s physical offensive line — led largely by the play of Karp and fellow seniors Jacob Wineman, Carter Pavia and Winston Malayter — is one of the key reasons the Trevians will return to the postseason for the first time since 2021.

The unit once again helped pave the way for an offensive explosion as the Trevians pounded Glenbrook North 49-7 on Friday, Oct. 17 in Northfield. The victory, which came on the program’s senior night, all but guarantees New Trier a spot in the postseason.

Offensive linemen Carter Pavia (54), Jacob Wineman (53) and Winston Malayter (63) presnap on Friday.

“It’s just great for our team (getting to five wins),” New Trier head coach Brian Doll said. “I told our entire team that after walking off the field last year at the end of the season, looking at our juniors at the time who are now our seniors, that watching the disappointment they had to now today seeing the excitement they have of being back in the playoffs and accomplishing one of our big goals, I’m just really proud, so proud of them all.

“We’re proud of the whole team, but specifically the seniors for the leadership they provided all season. It’s really amazing.”

How it happened

New Trier for the third time in four weeks got off to a fantastic start Friday night. The Trevians opened the game with a five-play, 55-yard scoring drive to jump out to a 7-0 lead over the Spartans.

Junior Declan O’Meara rushed in a 7-yard touchdown to put the Trevs on the board.

New Trier got the ball back in a hurry and delivered another successful series. The Trevs this time went 59 yards in eight plays to take a two-touchdown lead over North. O’Meara once again finished the drive, pounding in a 5-yard score late in the first quarter.

Senior Anthony Aguilar sacks Glenbrook North’s quarterback deep in Spartans’ territory.

Senior wide receiver Emmett Koshkarian took a short pass from quarterback Jackie Ryder 34 yards for New Trier’s third touchdown of the night early in the second quarter.

After forcing another three-and-out, the Trevians offense kept the party rolling on their next series. Ryder this time connected with fellow junior Alexander Fairchild for a 17-yard touchdown. Fairchild barreled by GBN’s defensive backfield and extended his arms fully to reach the ball just across the goal line right before he was brought down.

“I knew nothing was going to stop me there,” Fairchild said of the score. “I needed my first touchdown of the year there. I know I’ve done a great job on defense this year but I really wanted that kind of prize on offense, that touchdown, and I knew nothing was going to stop me. I’m going to fight for those years every single time, no matter how hard it is.”

Fairchild had another huge play waiting the next time he touched the ball. The Trevs’ two-way player returned a Glenbrook North punt 39 yards for a touchdown to give New Trier a 35-0 lead before halftime.

“I was going forward and I knew that I would be able to catch it in stride,” Fairchild said of his punt return. “I trusted my guys to make blocks and I know what I can do as a player. … I evaded some tackles and I saw daylight and I took it all the way to the house.”

Alexander Fairchild stretches the ball to get a New Trier touchdown.

Fairchild has been a crucial part of the team in all three phases of the game this season as he’s played a significant role on special teams, as a wide receiver and in the Trevs’ defensive backfield.

Also a big part of New Trier’s 2024 team, Fairchild has seen the program’s culture shift since last season.

“I think (our success) is all due to a culture change and I think that starts in the weight room,” he said. “I think that starts outside of the field and I think that starts with our captains. They’ve done a great job leading this team to a place that it’s supposed to be, and they’ve done a great job changing this team and its culture and getting that winning mentality back.”

New Trier added on two more scores in the second half. Ryder fired a 35-yard touchdown pass to senior Keefer Baxter midway through the third quarter, and senior Alex Rafeedie then rushed home a 5-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter for the game’s final score.

Senior back Alex Rafeedie finds some daylight for the Trevians.

The Trevs continued their trend of putting up big offensive numbers. Ryder finished with 198 yards passing and three touchdown passes.

New Trier’s senior receiving duo of Baxter and Koshkarian also continues to impress. Baxter now has seven receiving touchdowns for the Trevs this season and Koshkarian’s team-high 40 receptions gives him a shot at program history. With one week to play, Koshkarian is now 12 catches away from tying the single-season reception record for New Trier football, which is held by Andy Deahl.

It was a stellar night for the Trevs defense as well. New Trier has allowed just 13 points over its last two games and the Trevs have now held three of their last four opponents to seven points or fewer.

“I’m so proud of our defense,” senior defensive lineman Stephen Vellon said. “We’ve just been flying to the ball ever since our preseason scrimmage. We all want the ball and we’re all just flying to it. Our pursuit as a defense has really improved since last year and I think all of us just want that feeling of getting to the ball.”

A showdown in Glenview awaits

New Trier will wrap up its regular season next Friday night with a trip to Glenview to face the Glenbrook South Titans.

The Titans have been a thorn in New Trier’s side for the better part of this decade, beating the Trevs in each of the last four seasons. New Trier last topped the Titans in Week 1 of the 2021 spring season, a six-game campaign that was abbreviated due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keefer Baxter catches a touchdown for the Trevians, his seventh on the season.

With a 6-2 mark this season, Glenbrook South is headed back to the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.

“They’re a great team with a great coaching staff,” Doll said of the Titans. “It’s going to be a fun game. I know our kids are excited but our staff is excited as well.”

Doll noted the Trevs will need to take care of the ball and make key plays in short-yard situations if they hope to knock off the Titans.

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High School Highlights: Regina trotters take ISL title again; NT, HP tennis win their league tourneys

A summary of preps sports competition from area schools over the past week. Send scores and highlights to joe@therecordns.org.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Fenwick 25-27, Loyola 22-25

Grace Mikal recorded 12 assists in the Ramblers’ GCAC loss on Thursday, Oct. 16.

Glenbrook North 18-25-26, New Trier 25-15-24

The Trevians (15-8, 4-4) on Wednesday, Oct. 15, in Northbrook again dropped a tough three-set match with their division foe.

Glenbrook South 25-12-25, New Trier 19-25-21

Another difficult league loss for the Trevians on Tuesday, Oct. 14, in Glenview.

Autumn Knights Tournament

Karolina Mordasiewicz tallied 9 kills and 7 aces across two Loyola Academy victories (25-14, 25-23 against Marian Catholic; 25-8, 25-14 against Lincoln Park) on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at Lincoln-Way Central in New Lenox.

BOYS SOCCER
Loyola 1, Glenbrook North 1

The Ramblers and Spartans fought to a draw on Thursday, Oct. 16.

New Trier 5, Lake Forest Academy 2

Zach Myers and Calyx Hoover netted two goals apiece for the victorious Trevians on Wednesday, Oct. 15, the final match of the regular season.

Gordan Evans added a goal and an assist for New Trier (10-5-2) in its fourth straight victory.

Loyola 5, Glenbrook South 4

The Ramblers won the nonconference slugfest on Tuesday, Oct. 14.

Grant 3, Highland Park 2

Chris Ramos scored for the visiting Giants but it wasn’t enough on Tuesday, Oct. 14, in Fox Lake.

GIRLS TENNIS
Central Suburban South Championships

New Trier won the league title on Saturday, Oct. 11.

Central Suburban North Championships

Andie Lawrence won at first singles, Julia Batt at second singles and Francesca Ruta at third singles to lead Highland Park to a first-place finish at the league tournament on Saturday, Oct. 11.

Mira Schmidt and Kourtnie Halperin (No. 2 doubles) and Charley Gore and Jill Moyer (No. 3 doubles) also won their brackets for the Giants.

GIRLS SWIM AND DIVE
47th Annual Trevians Relays

Olivia Musik, Riley McNeal, Ryan Vender and Palinee Piriyakulvej won the 200-yard medley relay for the Trevians, who placed second in the special event on Saturday, Oct. 11.

Sylvia Deliduka, Cora LaVigne, Vender and Margaret Lietzau added a win in the 400 free relay for the Trevians.

Lia Roggi, of Loyola Academy, placed second in 50 free 100 butterfly.

CROSS-COUNTRY
Independent League Championships

Niamh Byrne, a sophomore, finished fourth and Madeline Haran, also a sophomore, seventh to lift Regina Dominican to its second consecutive conference title on Thursday, Oct. 16, at Lake Forest Academy.

Olivia Mauer (11th), Quinn Christensen (12th) and Harper Lewis (13th) also contributed for the Panthers.

Flight Night

Miriam Eynon placed sixth and Jillian Crane 19th as New Trier finished sixth as a team on Friday, Oct. 10, on Loyola Academy’s Glenview campus.

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NU professor from Skokie wins Nobel Prize for economics

Out of the hundreds of people from across the world who are nominated to win a Nobel Prize each year, an achievement awarded to those who have “conferred the greatest benefit to humankind,” only a select few ever receive the honor.

This month, the prestigious international award was given to a neighbor.

The Nobel Prize committee announced on Monday that it had honored Joel Mokyr, a Skokie resident and a professor at Northwestern University, with the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences for his work in “having identified the prerequisites for sustained growth through technological progress.”

Mokyr shared one half of the Nobel Prize in economics with two other men — Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt — for their work in “the theory of sustained growth through creative destruction.”

“As you can imagine, I’m still a little dazed by what’s transpired today,” Mokyr said on Tuesday during a press conference on Northwestern’s campus.

“But I want to start with something completely unrelated to this prize, which is that today is a very special day for me, seeing the return of 20 live hostages of my countrymen this morning, which warms my heart far more than any other personal achievement that I can ever get,” Mokyr said in reference to the release of the remaining living Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

Stephanie Kulke, a senior editor of Northwestern University’s Office of Global Marketing and Relations, informed The Record that Mokyr will not be back on campus until November.

Mokyr, 79, was born in the Netherlands and studied economics and history in Jerusalem before he went on to become an American citizen and obtain his doctorate in economics at Yale University in 1974.

He first became an assistant professor of economics at Northwestern in 1974 before he served as a visiting professor of economics at a variety of universities — such as Stanford, Harvard, Manchester, College of Dublin and Hebrew University of Jerusalem — in the following decades.

The Skokie resident has served in the position as Northwestern’s Robert H. Strotz Professor of Arts and Sciences and Professor of Economics and History since 1994.

The Village of Skokie celebrated Mokyr’s achievement in a social media post:

Among other things, his research has specialized in the economic history of Europe between 1750 and 1914, with a focus on the intellectual roots of technological progress and the impact of industrialization, Northwestern’s website shows.

“Northwestern is one of the world’s most preeminent universities precisely because of our brilliant faculty, like Professor Mokyr, and they push the boundaries of research in their quest to improve the human experience,” the university’s president Henry Bienen said Tuesday.

Mokyr was rewarded one half of this year’s Nobel prize for “his description of the mechanisms that enable scientific breakthroughs and practical applications to enhance each other and create a self-generating process, leading to sustained economic growth,” the Nobel website says.

“Because this is a process that challenges prevailing interests, he also demonstrates the importance of a society that is open to new ideas and permits change,” the webpage continues

The Swedish committees that oversee the Nobel Prizes hand out just five every year. The awards herald groundbreaking work in physics, chemistry, physiology, literature and economic sciences. A Norwegian committee selects the Nobel Peace Prize winner.

This year, 14 people in total received Nobel Prizes.

While the Nobel Prize is significant, Mokyr has previously won other major honors. He is the winner of the 2006 Heineken Award for History and the winner of the 2015 Balzan International Prize for economic history.

His most recent book, “A Culture of Growth: Origins of the Modern Economic,” was published by Princeton University Press in 2016 and he has supervised over 40 doctoral dissertations in the departments of Economics and History, a Northwestern webpage shows.

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Neighbors not yet behind Kenilworth project on Park Drive

A proposed development that would see two Kenilworth storefronts demolished and converted into luxury housing will need changes in order to not only earn the village’s blessing but to also satisfy neighbors.

The development, known as Park Place, made its initial appearance in front of Kenilworth’s Architectural Review Commission on Wednesday, Oct. 15, nearly two months to the day it was introduced at a neighborhood meeting.

But commissioners tabled a vote on whether to recommend the development until Oct. 28.

Park Place is being proposed by RED3 Development, a principal holding company, and designed by NEWLOOK Development, both owned by Michael P. Freiburger.

As previously reported by The Record, Freiburger is proposing a four-story, mixed-use development for 515-519 Park Drive. Referred to as “luxury” units, Park Place would include seven condominiums ranging in size from 2,100 to 2,600 square feet. Three units would be on the second floor, three on the third floor, and a penthouse would be on the top floor.

The first floor would include a parking garage for residents and two retail spaces, which Freiburger said could include a coffee shop or wine shop, types of businesses for which local officials and residents have expressed a desire.

Federalist Antiques currently occupies 515 Park Drive, while 519 Park Drive is vacant and was most recently a travel agency.

“Ultimately, I’m here presenting this project because I have friends and neighbors in this community asking us to develop a place for them to leave their big house and stay in town to be near their families, the residents, restaurant and neighborhood they love,” he said. “I understand that change is hard and, unfortunately, there are always going to be a few neighbors that may not see the benefit to the community, but we’re just trying to help Kenilworth continue to serve its residents as times and needs change.”

Another view of the proposed building, which would feature a set-back penthouse on the top floor.

Neighbors’ objections

Much of the evening consisted of commentary from residents, most of whom said they live on Park Drive.

Their comments echoed the criticisms that Freiburger and the design team heard at the August neighborhood meeting.

A common criticism was the height of the building, a proposed 48 1/2 feet, which exceeds both Kenilworth’s building guidelines (35 feet) and planned unit development guidelines (40 feet). Freiburger is seeking zoning relief for the extra eight and a half feet.

Park Drive resident Mike Kelly spoke against the proposal.

“I think you can see one of the things that is being taken into consideration is residents’ point of view, and residents’ point of view is that this project is just simply too big for this area,” he said, also objecting to Freiburger’s statement that the penthouse is set back and can’t be seen from street level.

Kelly presented to commissioners a petition he said was signed by approximately 40 residents who were also opposed to the building.

“We would say any variance exception is against the rules of what we’re trying to do in Kenilworth,” he said. “At its current state, we think that this certificate should either be stayed or denied at this point.”

Resident David Joyce shared a number of concerns about the development, including potential traffic congestion and the proposed appearance of the building.

Joyce added that he doesn’t believe a building such as Park Place belongs in Kenilworth as its appearance clashes with the surrounding buildings and homes.

“Tell me how this monolith is compatible with the one-story buildings right next to it and the modest homes to the west that are one- and two-story homes,” Joyce said. “That’s what Kenilworth is: single-family residences.”

He said the plans need to be altered.

“Let’s do what we can to downsize or eliminate this thing,” he said. “And let’s let Kenilworth be what it’s been for 100 and something years without this kind of development.”

While nearly all of the comments at the meeting were against the development, one resident, Eleanore Prince, voiced support for Park Place.

Admitting that she expected to be against the development, she said she changed her mind after seeing the presentation.

Prince said that Kenilworth is trying to upgrade its buildings and she believes that Park Place would be a good starting point for that.

“I really feel that this is very high-quality construction,” she said, later adding “I was really amazed by this presentation. I really feel the quality. And we want to bring in really high-end apartments.”

She understands the opposition, but believes that those against it will change their minds if Park Place is built.

“I think this is exceptionally important, and I think you’ll get very used to it,” Prince said.

Commissioners’ concerns

Commissioner Erin Paul complimented Freiburger on following Kenilworth’s design guidelines and studying community surveys in preparing Park Place’s design.

But she also said she was concerned about the height.

“You’re already getting an extra 5 feet,” she said. “Even though it’s allowed, it was already an exemption in addition to what exists in the village, and then you’re adding another 8 1/2 (feet).”

Paul said she’d also like to see a softer color palette on the building and agreed with residents in requesting more images of what the development would look like from multiple directions.

In addition to the height concerns, Commissioner Gunta Cepuritis said she would like to see an adjustment to its footprint.

“It just kind of sits in the middle of two separate areas, and that’s a problem,” she said. “It should go all the way to the alley.”

Freiburger responded that it was “totally unrealistic” to do that.

Cepuritis also asked if the penthouse could be removed, to which Freiburger responded that he didn’t think it would and that the plans would have to be greatly altered if that were the case.

Commissioners ultimately agreed to continue discussions on Oct. 28, partially to give Freiburger time to address concerns and also because two commissioners were absent on Wednesday and the rest of the board wanted to give them a chance to weigh in.

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News Briefs: Make a Difference Day is Saturday; Local cellist earns national honor; NTHS honors two athletic-department greats

The Volunteer Center is calling on community members to donate gently used goods to support 14 local nonprofits at its 23rd annual Make A Difference Day from 9 a.m.-noon this Saturday, Oct. 18, at the Indian Hill Train Station in Winnetka, 111 Green Bay Road.

The communitywide donation drive collects gently used and new goods for local nonprofits that need them most.

Donation needs include: children’s clothing and shoes, women’s clothing and purses, men’s educational toys, adult bikes, men’s and women’s clothing, pet supplies, and musical instruments. Each participating nonprofit has specific needs, with a full list available at VolunteerCenterHelps.org.

Organizers ask that items be sorted, bagged and labeled for each nonprofit prior to dropoff:

• Junior League of Evanston-North Shore: women’s tops, bottoms, dresses, lounge wear, shoes, coats and purses;
• Connections for the Homeless: men’s gym shoes, jeans, snow boots and coats, T-shirts, backpacks, luggage and duffel bags;
• Cradles to Crayons: children’s attire including shoes and winter gear;
• Share Our Spare: Infant and baby clothing, diapers (any size), formula, and baby foods (unopened and unexpired);
• Hadley Institute for the Blind: eyeglasses, cases and lenses;
• Chicago Furniture Bank: mattresses, box springs, metal bed frames, assembled cribs, chairs, dressers, tables, desks, mirrors and rugs;
• Binary Heart: computers, cellphones and iPads
• Books4Cause: Gently used books, CDs, DVDs and vinyl.
• Northbrook Symphony Orchestra: musical instruments;
• Salvation Army: sports equipment, including cleats;
• Orphans of the Storm: pet supplies, including toys, food, blankets and towels;
• Working Bikes: adult bikes in repairable condition, kids’ bikes, bike parts, accessories and bike jerseys.

The Volunteer Center is a 60-year-old organization dedicated to connecting individuals, families, and service groups with nonprofit opportunities in New Trier Township and surrounding communities.

Wilmette musician is U.S. presidential scholar

The Music Institute of Chicago recently shared that cellist and institute alumnus Jan Vargas Nedvetsky, of Wilmette, has been named a 2025 U.S. Presidential Scholar.

Nedvetsky is one of 161 scholars out of 6,400 qualified candidates in 2025 to receive the honor.

Nedvetsky spent six years as an active student in The Academy, the institute’s nationally recognized pre-conservatory program for gifted high school pianists and string players. He is a cello performance major at the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University, where he also studies history.

“It took the dedicated support of my family and community (including MIC and the Academy), and the guidance of my teachers, Hans Jensen and Oleksander Mycyk, to receive this award,” Nedvetsky said in a statement. “I could never have done this alone! I would like to give special thanks to the MIC community for the growth I have made as a person and musician during my years at the academy and beyond.”

Nedvetsky was a 2024 YoungArts Winner with Distinction in Cello Performance, the highest award of the National Young Arts Foundation. Additional accolades include prizes in national and international solo and chamber competitions, merit scholarships, and grants from preeminent art foundations, the release says. More information about Nedvetsky is available via his website.

“A devoted cellist and ambassador for classical music, Jan enriched the Academy community through years of study, performance, and a passion for community engagement,” said Sue Polutnik, vice president and COO of the Music Institute and Academy executive director, in the release.

The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program recognizes the most distinguished graduating high school seniors in a variety of categories.

New Trier names facilities after coaching greats

New Trier High School’s kinetic wellness and athletic departments named their office suite after Bonnie Beach and Lee Kennicke, two pioneers of Title IX.

According to a release from the school, Beach and Kennicke promoted gender equality in sports and were instrumental in transforming the landscape of athletics in Illinois and beyond.

“Their passion and vision played an influential role in shaping the athletic and kinetic wellness departments into what they are today,” the release says.

Around a plaque outside the offices, Beach and Kennicke attended a dedication ceremony on Sept. 18 alongside family, friends, fellow retirees, alumni, staff and students.

A plaque outside the office serves as a lasting reminder of their contributions to New Trier and to the advancement of girls’ and women’s sports.

Beach worked at New Trier from 1967-2001, serving as a teacher, adviser, department chair and head coach for girls volleyball, field hockey and badminton. She was a member of the State Advisory Committee for volleyball and coached the first IHSA girls volleyball champions in 1975. She co-founded the Illinois Coaches Association for Girls’ and Women’s Sports in 1977 and served as the association’s first president.

Kennicke, in 30 years at New Trier, served as an assistant coach, head coach and assistant athletic director, as well as the girls PE chairperson at New Trier East. She co-founded the Illinois Coaches’ Association for Girls’ and Women’s Sports and created and led New Trier’s Student Athlete Leadership Team. She assisted Beach on the IHSA’s first girls volleyball champ.

The Record is a nonprofit, nonpartisan community newsroom that relies on reader support to fuel its independent local journalism.

Become a member of The Record to fund responsible news coverage for your community.

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Skokie Police Reports: Several vehicle burglaries and aggravated identity theft

The following reports were pulled from the latest incident summaries provided by the Skokie Police Department.

Oct. 9

• A vehicle reportedly was burglarized sometime between 9 p.m. on Oct. 8 and 9 a.m. on Oct. 9 in the 3500 block of Church Street.

• A vehicle reportedly was burglarized sometime between 9 p.m. on Oct. 8 and 5 a.m. on Oct. 9 in the 3500 block of Arcadia Street.

• A person over 60 years old or disabled reported to police around 6:39 p.m. on Oct. 9 that an aggravated identity theft had taken place against them last month, on Sept. 13, in the 4900 block of Old Orchard Center.

Oct. 7

• A burglary reportedly took place in a building sometime between 2 p.m. on Oct. 6 and 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 7 in the 8700 block of Kimball Avenue.

• Skokie police reportedly recovered a stolen car on Oct. 7 that had been missing since Oct. 3 in the 4900 block of Dempster Street.

• A vehicle was reported stolen around 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 7 in the 9700 block of Woods Drive.

Oct. 6

• Property reportedly was stolen from a vehicle on Oct. 6 in the 5400 block of Frontage Road.

Oct. 3

• A vehicle reportedly was burglarized at 8:36 a.m. on Oct. 3 in the 4900 block of Lunt Avenue.

• Skokie police reportedly recovered a stolen vehicle around 2 a.m. on Oct. 3 in the 4900 block of Old Orchard Center.

Oct. 2

• A vehicle reportedly was burglarized sometime between 6:20 p.m. on Oct. 1 and 7:45 a.m. on Oct. 2 in the 3800 block of Harvard Terrace.

Oct. 1

• A burglary reportedly took place in a building sometime around 3:35 a.m. on Oct. 1 in the 4000 block of Main Street.

Editor’s Note: Not all incidents meet The Record’s standards for publication.The Record’s police reports are taken from police-activity summaries prepared by local police departments. Police Reports contain public information from preliminary reports and are not a complete listing of all police activity. The Record does not publish the names of individuals arrested and named in preliminary reports unless the incident is a matter of public safety or has significant community implications. All arrestees are innocent until proven guilty.