Village reviewing SFX School expansion plans; neighbors organizing in opposition

A Wilmette Catholic school is looking to expand, but the school’s neighbors say the project will demolish historic buildings and negatively impact the area.

The Catholic Bishop of Chicago, on behalf of St. Francis Xavier School, 808 Linden Ave., is proposing a demolition and expansion of buildings on its campus and is currently making its way through Village of Wilmette’s public review process. The next step of that process at 7 p.m. Jan. 21, when St. Francis Xavier’s proposal will go before the Zoning Board of Appeals at Village Hall. (This meeting was rescheduled from its original date of Jan. 7.)

According to the Village of Wilmette’s website, Sts. Joseph and Francis Xavier Parish is proposing an addition and renovations for its school. The plans include demolishing the former two-story school building on the southwest corner of Linden Avenue, the administrative building at Greenleaf Avenue and Ninth Street, and the house at 825 Linden Ave.

The parish is also requesting that the alley be vacated from the east side of the existing school building to Ninth Street.

The proposal also calls for the consolidation of all “school parcels north and south of the alley and including the vacated alley.”

They’re also proposing an addition at the northwest corner of the existing school building, in addition to new parking lots on the west side of the property along Ninth Street.

When contacted by The Record, officials at St. Francis Xavier School referred all questions to the Archdiocese of Chicago. The archdiocese did not respond by press time to multiple messages from The Record.

Wilmette’s Appearance Review Commission on Dec. 1 conducted a preliminary review of the plans, which had been requested by representatives from the school. According to the application, the preliminary review “(provided) an opportunity for the Commission to provide direction to the applicant on the appearance of the project,” and as the discussion was not a public hearing and nonbinding. Commissioners did not take a vote on the matter.

During the meeting, eight neighbors spoke up in opposition to the plans, and according to the minutes from that meeting, their concerns included the demolition of existing buildings, site design, the parking lot, traffic, and the character of the neighborhood.

The four present commissioners shared a variety of comments on the proposal, the minutes show.

Commissioner Doug Johnson acknowledged the resident concerns and said they “have substance to them and that the standards for scale and placement of structure and placement to lot lines and excessive similarities or dissimilarities to neighborhood structures are considerations for the Commission.”

Johnson went on to say that he appreciated the manufactured limestone appearance, but also said it looked “industrial” and is not consistent with other structures in the neighborhood.

Commissioner Jeffrey Saad said the proposal is “a modern addition to the school looking at its future.” He encouraged the parish and its representatives to work with the neighbors, saying that projects are successful when applicants and neighbors work together to come up with a solution.

Commission Chair Devan Castellano agreed that the neighbors and applicant should work together, and requested that, when the applicant returns to the ARC, they have a sustainability plan, and answers to some commission questions. She also asked if it could be explained why the building at the corner can’t be repurposed.

As reported in the minutes, Johnson also asked about repurposing existing buildings. Luke Haas, speaking on behalf of the applicants, said there are a number of issues, including accessibility challenges, with the existing building that prevent it from being used.

After the meeting, an online petition called “Not this Plan” began circulating in opposition to the proposal. Among the main reasons for opposition include the proposed acquisition of the alley, the demolition of historic buildings on the campus, and student safety.

The petition’s website also includes ideas for alternate plans.

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