D97 May Nix Village Hall Building Option at Jan. 14 Meeting

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Oak Park Elementary School District 97 will scrap the idea of building a new administration building on the Village Hall parking lot if they don't get the village's support before Jan. 14, District 97 announced Wednesday. 

District 97 Spokesman Chris Jasculca wrote in an email Wednesday that the district has worked with the village to study the Village Hall option, with the idea that it could help advance the Madison Street Plan and spur economic growth and development.

But after Village President Anan Abu-Taleb at a joint District 97-Village Board meeting Saturday gave an opening statement that had a "noticeable lack of affirmation" of the district's reasons for studying the location, district officials have decided it could be time to move on, according to a news release from District 97. 

"If we decide to further explore the possibility of constructing a new building behind Village Hall, we will do so only with clear direction and support from our Village colleagues," Jasculca wrote. 

District 97 based the idea of building on the Village Hall lot on a goal of the village's 2006 Madison Street Plan to "Integrate the Village Hall into a civic campus by using the existing surface parking lot and open space," and the village's financial projections showing that redeveloping the district's current administration building at 970 Madison St. would be financially beneficial to the community, according to the release.

"If we decide to no longer pursue this option, we will still need to find suitable office space that is functional, adequately supports our operations and effectively meets the needs of our families," Jasculca wrote. 

Oak Park Trustee Colette Lueck said Wednesday that it's "too early" to make a definitive statement on whether building at Village Hall is a good idea. 

"I don't think we have all the information... But it's clearly not the only option we're looking at (and it's not the only option they're looking at)," she said. 

District 97 is also considering moving its administrative offices to the proposed Madison Highlands office building, 101 Madison St., or a warehouse at 541 Madison St. They could also rebuild, rent during a transition period, or move away from Madison Street, according to the district's presentation at the meeting. 

Trustee Adam Salzman wrote in an email Wednesday, "While I can't comment on their (District 97's) perception of the Village's level of enthusiasm, I think they have correctly determined that there are multiple solutions to the problem of their space needs and the relationship of those needs to Village's development goals on Madison." 

He added, "My own perception of Saturday's meeting is that it showed an unnecessary focus on one possible initiative without adequately taking into account the full range of opportunities for District 97 so long as we get creative about it."

About 50 people attended the meeting Saturday and voiced their opposition to the idea, the Wednesday Journal reported Saturday.

Neighbors said that area of Oak Park, the neighborhood south of 123 Madison St., is too congested, and is a residential neighborhood, not a "government campus," according to the Journal.

Repairs to Oak Park Elementary School District 97's administration building could cost almost $3 million, according to a report from architecture firm STR Partners. STR Partners in November shared a comprehensive report on the administration building at 970 Madison St., as well as a building capacity study, an accessibility study and an air conditioning study. Read more here.