District 97 is no longer pursuing the option of possibly building its new headquarters on Oak
Park Village Hall land.
The D97 board has taken that option off of the table and has informed village officials of that decision. The district was looking for some indication from the village of whether officials there thought building on Village Hall land would benefit the community economically. Not satisfied with what they’ve heard from village trustees thus far, D97 has removed the Village Hall parking lot site from its options for a new headquarters, said D97 Board President Bob Spatz Tuesday night at the district’s regular board meeting.
The D97 board approved an official resolution Tuesday of its decision about the parking lot site.
“While we are voting tonight to officially remove the space behind Village Hall as an option for our administration building, we thank the village for the time and effort they invested in the exploration of this project,” said Spatz, reading from an official statement released by the school district.
Spatz added that the village did express interest in continuing to discuss the parking lot option but offered nothing “material” concerning that option. The village, he said, has not provided the school district with a “compelling argument or information” on how the parking lot option would benefit the community economically.
“Therefore, after a year of exploring this concept, we have reached a point where we need to move forward with plans not only for our administration building, but for other capital projects and expenditures that are critical to the effective operation of our schools,” Spatz said, reading from the statement.
In a somewhat unprecedented move, the school district set a Jan. 14, deadline in deciding whether to continue talks with the village about the proposed project — a deadline contingent on the village stating publicly where it stood concerning building behind Village Hall.
The parking lot site drew staunch opposition from neighbors in the area. Spatz acknowledged that opposition Tuesday night.
“We also thank the citizens of Oak Park for the passion and candor they contributed to the discussion about this topic. While we held opposing viewpoints about various aspects of this possible concept, the feedback we received from residents throughout this process highlighted not only the numerous opportunities that exist for community engagement and involvement, but also the value we place on them,” Spatz said, reading from the statement.
D97 has other options under consideration for a new headquarters, including becoming a tenant in the proposed Madison-Highlands development or possibly purchasing the 101 Madison high-rise. Spatz said the school district has also inquired with the village about becoming a tenant in a downtown Oak Park property. The 101 Madison building is a “low priority,” Spatz added, noting that the building carries a large tax bill of roughly $100,000 annually that D97 would have to pick up.
Spatz said the district hopes to make a decision later this spring concerning where its new headquarters will be.
Statement from the District 97 Board of Education about the status of the Village Hall option for the Administration Building
While we are voting tonight to officially remove the space behind Village Hall as an option for our administration building, we thank the Village for the time and effort they invested in the exploration of this potential project. We also remain committed to working with the Village and the other local governing bodies to identify ways we can work together to best meet the needs of the community, including sharing space, services, etc.
We certainly understand and appreciate the Village’s desire to further study the possibilities that may exist in conjunction with constructing a new facility on its parking lot. However, it has not provided us with a compelling argument or information about how this option will benefit the community from an economic standpoint. Therefore, after a year of exploring this concept, we have reached a point where we need to move forward with plans not only for our administration building, but for other capital projects and expenditures that are critical to the effective operation of our schools and play an important role in our ability to educate our students.
We also thank the citizens of Oak Park for the passion and candor they contributed to the discussion about this topic. While we held opposing viewpoints on various aspects of this possible concept, the feedback we received from residents throughout the process highlighted not only the numerous opportunities that exist for community engagement and involvement, but also the value we place on them. We look forward to continuing the dialogue with community members about this and the other important issues that contribute to the success of our schools and the children we serve.