Athletic field, parking pegged for Brainerd site
A year has passed since Libertyville voters soundly thumped a last-chance plea to raise taxes to save the former Libertyville High School building, and only rubble remains as a reminder of what stood for nearly a century at Route 176 and Brainerd Avenue.
"Hopefully, it will look a lot better in two weeks than it does today," said Yasmine Dada, assistant superintendent for business for Libertyville-Vernon Hills Area High School District 128, which owns the site.
By then, the nearly 5-acre site will be completely cleared and leveled, presenting a blank slate in the neighborhood south of the downtown area. But it won't stay that way for long. The district wants to redevelop the property with a multipurpose field, possibly topped with synthetic turf, as a needed athletic facility.
Plans recently submitted to the village also call for a 96-space parking lot on the east end of the site abutting Douglas Avenue, a small building for restrooms and storage, and an area on the southwest corner to collect stormwater.
"It could be $3 million to $4 million depending what will be put there," Dada said. "The (synthetic) turf itself is an extra $1 million."
Dada said the preference is for synthetic turf, which is being requested now so the district would not have to return to the village for approval.
"Anytime you have synthetic turf, the field is playable," she said. That option will need school board approval, she added.
A pavilion to recognize the history of the school and adjoining Jackson Gym building also in the works, although nothing is designated in the plan and the details have not been determined.
"We haven't quite decided where to put it yet. We're exploring our options," Dada said.
A stone arch and about 2,000 bricks have been saved for a memorial, and 1,000 other bricks will be sold at some point.
"We hear from people quite frequently who worked to save the building or who want a brick. There's keen interest," she added.
The field would be oriented in an east/west direction and marked with lines for football, lacrosse and soccer. Markings also are proposed for two practice fields in a north/south direction.
According to district plans, football and boys soccer would use the field for practice and games in fall. In spring, boys and girls lacrosse and girls soccer would use the field for practice and games. In summer, it would be utilized for boys and girls lacrosse summer camps.
All activities would be during the day, and no field lighting is proposed. Seating would be on portable bleachers that would be stored during the winter. The entire area would be enclosed by an 8-foot-high, aluminum ornamental fence, according to the plan.
The site is zoned for institutional use that allows for athletic fields, according to John Spoden, the village's director of community development. He added the state governs construction and would have to issue permits.
"Our jurisdiction is solely for zoning," he said. "The building permits will be issued by the state."
Two aspects will require village review.
First, the village's appearance review committee has a say over the look of the 30-foot by 50-foot building, which is proposed to be of brick with a gabled roof. The village also will consider the landscaping plan.
As proposed, a 46-inch-diameter honey locust tree on the southwest corner will remain, but others, including a 34-inch-diameter spruce and a 28-inch-diameter linden along Route 176, will be taken out. In all, 13 trees will be removed, but 107 shade and evergreen trees and 198 shrubs will be added.
District 128 also wants to reduce by half the requirement for a 50-foot landscaped perimeter, except where the artificial turf field is located.
In that case, the turf would extend to the edge of the property to accommodate safety zones. Without that variation, about a third of the site would be rendered useless in the north/south direction, the district contends.
That measure is expected to be considered next month by the village's plan commission/zoning board of appeals.
If the approval process goes as planned, Dada said, bids would be sought in June and construction could begin in late July or early August, with completion by November.