Districts 211, 214 agree to change boundary for Arlington Downs
Officials from two Northwest suburban high school districts have agreed to shift attendance boundaries so families who might move into apartments at the former Sheraton hotel site now known as Arlington Downs are not split into separate high schools.
The boundary dividing Northwest Suburban High School District 214 and Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 runs directly through the site, officials said.
"Our property line between District 211 and District 214 ran right through the middle of that building," District 214 Superintendent David Schuler said about the former Sheraton, 3400 W. Euclid Ave. in Arlington Heights, that has been transformed into One Arlington, a luxury apartment tower that started moving residents in earlier this month.
"It wasn't a problem when it was a hotel because no one was living there and had to go to school," Schuler said. "But now that it has turned into residential, we had a challenge. Do we want students living right across the hall from each other and going to different schools? We did not think that was appropriate."
After meeting with developers and officials from District 211 over the past few months, the two school districts agreed to change the boundary. If both school boards and Cook County sign off, all high school students living in One Arlington would attend Rolling Meadows High School in District 214.
The boundary change would give District 211 a shopping center at the corner of Salt Creek Lane and Euclid Avenue that includes Starbucks, as well as the portion of Arlington Downs that is planned to house a new water park.
Developers have a deal with Wilderness Resorts, which owns resorts and water parks at Wisconsin Dells, to renovate the original water park into one with an additional 10,000 square feet, two more rides and a redesign to gear the park more toward a teenage crowd
Schuler said tax revenues would break about even for both districts.
"This is where it's helpful to have good working relationships with our neighbors," Schuler said.
District 214 voted on Thursday to set a public hearing on the issue for its Nov. 6 meeting. Board member Jim Perkins voted to abstain because one of his clients is a developer on Arlington Heights.
Schuler said officials are hoping to get the new boundaries approved quickly.
"The developer has been trying to market and lease the apartments but had been concerned about doing it without knowing where to tell people they will be going to school," he said.