Highland Park School Considered Landmarks Endangered

Four Highland Park schools slated to close in 2017 are considered among the “most endangered historic places in Illinois” by Landmarks Illinois, a group that works to preserve the state’s architectural and cultural landmarks.

In the waning days of the state’s legislative session last spring, an innocuous bill about school-related dental exams was headed toward a vote – but things changed quickly. The dental exams were wiped out. Added instead was a little-noticed bonanza for Highland Park-based North Shore School District 112, which was planning a school construction project that was already contentious.

In an unusual but not unprecedented move, lawmakers allowed the district to amass more debt, like raising the limit on a credit card. The new borrowing leeway helped pave the way for a $198 million bond referendum in District 112 — the largest bond issue for school construction in a decade in Illinois.

Voters were faced with the following question: Shall the Board of Education of North Shore School District Number 112, Lake County, Illinois, improve the safety and efficiency of physical plants, build and equip new buildings on existing sites of said School District and improve said sites, build and equip additions to, alter, repair, equip and renovate existing buildings for instructional purposes and improve the sites thereof, for the purpose of consolidating the schools of said School District, including, without limitation, installing fire safety systems, installing security systems, installing climate control systems and increasing accessibility to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and issue bonds of said School District to the amount of $198,000,000 for the purpose of paying the costs thereof?

If the District’s bond issue had passed, five schools would have closed: Elm Place, Lincoln, Red Oak, Sherwood and Wayne Thomas. Six schools would have been renovated: Braeside, Edgewood, Indian Trail, Northwood, Oak Terrace and Ravinia. The District’s three middle schools would also have condensed into one middle school campus, which would have been home to all the district’s fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth graders at the current site of Red oak and Sherwood schools.

But voters were clear: the answer to the referendum was a resounding NO. With all votes counted, there were 9,662 who voted “No,” while 4,580 votes “Yes.” That’s 67.84 percent “No” and 32.16 percent “Yes.”

As a result, the district identified just four Highland Park schools for closing next year in its Budget Deficit Reduction plan. School officials have said the 3.7-acre Green Bay School property is the district’s most valuable piece of real estate because the property, located just north of downtown Highland Park, is zoned for multi-family housing. Last year, the school district obtained a $5.2 million appraisal for the property. The former school building currently houses the district’s central administration and early childhood education programs.

The school district has estimated that the 3.3-acre site of Elm Place Middle School might fetch around $4 million. The property is zoned for single-family housing. The oldest portion of the school dates to 1924, according to the district. Lincoln Elementary School is the oldest school building, with a portion dating to 1909, district records show. The oldest section of Ravinia Elementary School dates to 1913.

Officials expect the school closings to save about $5 million in yearly personnel costs and avoid millions of dollars in long-term capital maintenance expenses.

Landmarks Illinois included Lincoln Elementary School, Ravinia Elementary School, Elm Place Middle School and the Green Bay School on its 2016 list of endangered historic places. The list, released April 13, also included three schools in Rockford. The group is urging both school systems to involve their local communities in a dialogue about opportunities to reuse, rather than raze the structures.

Keep in touch with us at Lexus of Highland Park for the latest community news and updates on the status of these historic schools.