HP_030719

6 | March 7, 2019 | The highland park landmark news
hplandmark.com
THE WILMETTE BEACON
Phase 2 of Highcrest
construction project
approved at $3.5M
Highcrest Middle
School will look different
next fall when students
return to school from
summer break.
The Wilmette School
District 39 Board approved
the Highcrest phase two
construction project bids
in the amount of $3.528
million at its Monday, Feb.
25 meeting.
“I’m happy to report
that we had many qualified
bidders and the bids came
back lower than was estimated,”
Superintendent
Dr. Ray Lechner said.
Specifically, Business
Manager Ellen Crispino
said the project came in at
just over a quarter of a million
dollars under budget.
This project entails a
library/media/technology
center addition with largespace
air conditioning and
a special education classroom
renovation. Since
2015, the district has renovated
combined library/
media/technology centers
at five of its six schools.
Highcrest is the final district
school to undergo this
renovation. These centers
create one large, unified
council
From Page 4
plan.
As of now, the development
proposes at least 17
affordable inclusionary
units on-site and provide
a cash payment in lieu of
affordable units for the remaining
12 required units.
“Technically, it would
have been proper for that
to be considered by the
housing commission first
and then figuring out how
the affordable housing requirements
would be, with
space to support activities
that previously occurred
in the technology lab, library
and smaller learning
spaces.
Reporting by Todd Marver,
Freelance Reporter. Full
story at WilmetteBeacon.
com.
THE NORTHBROOK TOWER
Almost two decades later,
Northbrook homeowner
may receive approval for
addition
After nearly 18 years, a
Northbrook homeowner
may finally receive Village
Board approval to build a
three-season addition onto
the rear of his home.
During its Tuesday, Feb.
26, meeting, the Northbrook
Village Board sent
resident Gary Moriello’s
proposal to the next stage
of approval with little
resistance.
Moriello hopes to construct
a 373-square-foot
addition to his home in the
4200 block of Lindenwood
Lane. However, only a
156-square foot addition is
allowed under the Village
Zoning Code, which says
homes can’t cover more
than 35 percent of the total
property area.
When Moriello made
respect to Inclusionary
Zoning (Ordinance) and
making sure the proper
number of units are being
placed on-site,” Kaufman
said, after the Feb. 25 City
Council meeting.
Councilwoman Kim
Stone agreed, adding concerns
about the impact of
the density and scale of development
on the residents
in the Sheahen Court and
Elm Place neighborhood.
“I understand it’s preliminary,
so there will be
changes made before the
final and the housing commission
will have a chance
a similar request in 2001,
the Northbrook Zoning
Board of Appeals denied
the proposal because they
didn’t have authority to
circumvent the code. But
in August 2017, the Village
Board adopted several
major variation amendments
that allow trustees to
consider similar projects.
Reporting by Chris Pullam,
Freelance Reporter. Full
story at NorthbrookTower.
com.
THE WINNETKA CURRENT
New Trier’s marine biology
class provides ‘the whole
experience’
A group of New Trier
students are diving into
marine biology.
The students, mostly
juniors and seniors, are
becoming certified scuba
divers through a laboratory
portion of their marine biology
course offered at the
high school.
For the bulk of the elective
course, students are
in the classroom; however,
for a portion of the
third quarter, they meet
with scuba diving instructors
twice a week during
a two-period block in the
school’s pool, said teachers
Cole Lanham and
to weigh in, but I still felt
that the process was not
correct,” Stone said, noting
consideration will be taken
up by the housing commission
in March.
However, both Kaufman
and Stone said they are
hopeful these issues will be
addressed before the final
development plan is expected
to be approved in May or
June. The final development
plan will be accompanied by
an ordinance and a development
agreement between
the City and Albion Jacobs
Highland Park, LLC.
Members of the City
Lauren Meyer.
“One of the things when
the course was designed
was the idea for kids who
have potential interest in
the field, who might study
this in college and beyond,
was to give them the whole
experience,” Lanham said
about the diving class
portion.
The end goal is to have
the students become “confident
divers,” Lanham
said.
“On the off days, we
look into the biology,
chemistry and psychics
of the diving in the classroom,”
Meyer added.
Specifically, the students
are learning about how
diving and holding your
breath affects your lungs,
the relationship between
pressure and volume, and
the technology and more
scientific aspects behind
the dive.
Throughout the third
quarter, the students complete
five modules and
earn a basic certification
through the Professional
Association of Diving
Instructors.
Reporting by Megan Bernard,
Contributing Editor.
Full story at WinnetkaCurrent.com.
Council also unanimously
approved an ordinance revising
the deadline for application
submittal of the
preliminary development
plan and extending the
demolition of the Karger
Center to Sept. 1, so that it
aligns with the leases of the
center’s tenants, as noted by
Stevel Elrod, who serves as
Highland Park’s corporation
counsel.
Questions concerning
the Karger Center redevelopment
plan can be directed
to the Department of
Community Development
at 847-432-0867.
City commissions public
art sculpture to celebrate
2019 sesquicentennial
Submitted by the City of
Highland Park
The City of Highland
Park is celebrating its sesquicentennial
(150th anniversary)
in 2019 with
highly visible special
events, concerts, tours and
a variety of other activities
including the commissioning
of an outdoor public art
sculpture. To commemorate
Highland Park’s sesquicentennial,
the City
conducted a competitive
solicitation for an outdoor
public art sculpture and
ultimately commissioned a
sculpture entitled ‘Ingress’
by artist Michael Szabo of
San Francisco, Calif. Ingress
will be installed in
fall, 2019 at the corner park
at the intersection of Deerfield
Road, Hickory Street,
and Laurel Avenue. The
HP150 sponsor bricks will
also be installed at the park.
Standing more than 8
feet tall and 24 feet wide,
Ingress symbolizes both a
ribbon honoring the first
150 years of Highland
Park, and from another
angle, a gateway to the
future. The design aims to
create experiences of contemplation,
curiosity, wonderment,
and joy. The interior
height of the arch is 7’,
allowing people to experience
the gateway by walking
through and around the
sculpture. The sculpture
will be fabricated from
brushed stainless steel
and rich patina bronze,
durable and lasting materials,
to help reflect the
surrounding environment.
“Throughout my career,
I have explored how
sculptures in a public space
can inspire and strengthen
bonds between individuals,
communities, and their
surroundings,” Szabo said.
“The City of Highland
Park’s commitment to the
arts, its outstanding architecture,
and friendly people
make me proud to have a
permanent art piece in the
area and to contribute my
creative energy to a place
that has been part of my life
since the early phase of my
career as an artist.”
Szabo earned a degree
in Fine Art from the Rhode
Island School of Design,
and in 20014, established
Michael Szabo Studio in
San Francisco. Over the
past 14 years, the studio
has been involved in nearly
100 public and private
commissions.
Ingress was selected out
of a pool of 29 different
proposals by the Cultural
Arts Commission (CAC).
City Council accepted the
recommendation of the
CAC. In 2018, the City
conducted a request for
proposals process which
was promoted locally and
internationally through a
variety of arts groups and
organizations. The purpose
of the sesquicentennial
art sculpture is to add
to the prestige of the City’s
art collection; engage
imaginative interaction
and reflection; attract and
please visitors; contribute
to the overall livability of
the City of Highland Park;
reflect on the innovative
energies and creative values
of the community; and
consider the engagement
of viewers who encounter
the work in differing
modes, including on foot,
by bike, and in cars.