A plan to expand the exclusive Latin School that has stirred controversy in the Gold Coast neighborhood cleared a hurdle Thursday night when it won the approval of the Chicago Plan Commission.
More than 70 opponents and supporters of the project signed up to speak, and many waited more than four hours to make it to the microphone when the proposal finally was considered at the end of a marathon commission meeting.
Latin School officials seek to build a new middle school on the site of the former Eleanor Club building, 1550 N. Dearborn Pkwy. The original plan called for a five-story structure of about 67,000 square feet, but under pressure from some local residents, officials revamped the proposal and produced a four-story design of about 57,000 square feet.
A second-story pedestrian bridge would connect the new building to a neighboring building housing Latin’s Upper School, on the southeast corner of Clark Street and North Boulevard.
Opponents still objected to the height of the new development and, particularly, the congestion they said it would generate, making a bad traffic situation near the school even worse.
The addition would allow enrollment to increase to 1,250 students from 1,100.
Latin “used to be a pedestrian school serving the community,” said Charles Steinberg, president of the Coalition to Save the Gold Coast. “Now it’s a regional automobile institution.”
“Current congestion is so severe on Dearborn at critical hours on school days that access by emergency vehicles and even mail delivery are hindered and in some cases even prevented,” said Charles DiLeonardi, a coalition member. “We don’t think it is workable to use the public streets for their own private purpose.”
But proponents, who described Latin as an invaluable institution that must be supported, won the day.
“The school has turned out leaders throughout this city and throughout this country,” said state Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago), a Latin graduate who said he was able to attend, in part, because of a scholarship. “It is looking to further its contributions.”
“This is a tremendous opportunity to educate kids,” said Ald. Burton Natarus (42nd), who represents the area around the school. “I am certainly for that.”
The proposal goes to the City Council for final consideration.
In other action, the Plan Commission approved plans for:
The first Wal-Mart store to be built in Chicago. The giant retailer seeks to build a 131,000-square-foot facility on a former manufacturing site at Grand and Keating Avenues on the West Side.
A 22-story residential tower with 74 condominiums and 14 townhouses proposed by Smithfield Properties for the site of the William Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, 30 W. Oak St.
