By Ed Lowe
Senior Writer
Real estate developer Joel Carlin has proposed a concept that's so new, community groups and city officials are scrambling to analyze it and develop responses to his idea. Carlin, whose Magellan Group is the principal developer of the mammoth Lake Shore East project located east of Michigan Avenue and south of the Chicago River on the defunct nine-hole golf course, has offered an idea for the expansion of Ogden School.
The idea is simple: Tear down the old school which is in need of expansion and renovation, and build a high rise residential tower above a new school. The first floors of the development would be the new Ogden School. Ogden, which has expanded to a maximum of 500 students, could easily use space for 800. Ogden is located on a full city block between Walton and Oak streets and between State and Dearborn streets.
The rapid growth of residential units in the Gold Coast, Streeterville and River North has also brought families with school age children. Ogden School is the only public school between the loop and Division Street east of the Chicago River. The Latin School and Francis Parker School are private schools whose substantial tuition charge is a deterrent to many parents.
Carlin's plan calls for the relocation of present Ogden students to other facilities further from the immediate area or, as an alternative, the development of temporary trailer-like classrooms in such areas as Washington Square Park. Another alternative site, owned by the city but closed and in need of renovation, is across from Walter Payton High School on Orleans St.
Carlin points out that for the past five years, his company has been cooperating with the city's Board of Education by redoing bathrooms and offices in Ogden's present structure. Carlin's financing for this project would also fit into the City's currently tight budget problems. He would purchase the land from the city on which the present school is located, build the structure and lease the school portion of the new building back to the city on a long term lease which would provide the city what is effectively a new school facility at virtually no cost to the taxpayers. The new school would have its own prominent features. The present playground would be preserved and expanded. The new facility would be air conditioned and parking space for faculty automobiles would be protected.
Community reaction has been mixed. The Washington Square Neighborhood Group has been debating the proposal. A spokesperson for this group, Dr. Jeff Mono, says the group is opposed to some aspects of the new plan. For example, the group is opposed to the closing of Walton St. between State and Dearborn streets. "Traffic density is already a problem. Closing any street in the area would add to the problem," said Mono.
Primarily, according to Mono, "the present school needs to be larger, but the City needs a plan to determine if it's appropriate to allow a private developer to build on public land." Mono wants to know if other possibilities have been explored — for example, can another floor be added to the existing Ogden building. Preliminary engineering studies, according to Mono, indicate that this is possible.
The Washington Square Group also asks: "Is there a density plan for the neighborhood? The area needs more schools and, with the increased tax revenues created by new construction of high rise residential building, that money should be made available," Mono adds.
No one wants to say "No" to anything, but the group sees the importance of anticipating changes rather than reacting to them. There have been meetings with Ald. Burton Natarus (42nd). Mono said, "Natarus has not been overly supportive of the group's position." As many as 60 people attended a meeting with Natarus when the Ogden expansion was discussed.
Peter Cunningham, spokesperson for the Chicago Board of Education, said, "The Board of Education's Capital Planning Committee is evaluating the proposal. They have not said 'no' to it yet."
Neighborhood residents conclude that Ogden will be expanded, but are waiting for some reaction to Carlin's proposal which, if adopted, would be a first in the nation. |
