W E D N E S D A Y
December 12, 2018 Vol. 39, No. 19 ONE DOLLAR @oakpark @wednesdayjournal
JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest
Old but not out Homes, page B5
OPRF pushes plan focused on students, classrooms School board begins debate on prioritizing Imagine OPRF facilities plan By MICHAEL ROMAIN Staff Reporter
Tuesday evening, the school board at Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 began discussing initial steps to implement portions of the Imagine OPRF master facilities plan. The board had recommendations from its administration on both construction priorities and ways to finance a first phase of work. The construction recommendations focused on remaking classrooms, science labs, special ed spaces and student gathering spots. The finance proposal came with sternly expressed concerns that the district has to change the historic trajectory of its spending to avoid financial pitfalls and property tax spikes. The Imagine OPRF plan, if fully executed, is projected to cost $219 million and could take up to a decade to fully implement. The initial discussion Tuesday took place after press time. See OPRF PLAN on page 11
Photo by Paul Goyettee
SENDING A MESSAGE: The local advocacy group Oak Park Call to Action projected quotes from Frank Lloyd Wright onto Unity Temple over the weekend. The messages were an apparent response to a developer’s plan to build a 28-story residential tower near the temple.
As Unity Temple crafts message, activists send their own
By TIMOTHY INKLEBARGER Staff Reporter
The 28-story tower proposed by Golub & Company hit a roadblock with pronouncements by Oak Park Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb and most of the board of trustees opposing the height of the structure and its potential negative impact on Frank Lloyd Wright’s
SAVE THE DATE
Unity Temple. The proposed development prompted a group called Oak Park Call to Action to project images onto the Lake Street façade of Unity Temple over the weekend, quoting its famed architect. Local photographer Paul Goyette, who said he is a member of Oak Park Call to Action, said he was asked to take photos of the quotes that
were projected on the side of the temple. They appear to be in response to the tower proposal. Those Wright quotes state: ■ “Respect the masterpiece. It is true reverence to man. There is no quality so great, none so much needed now.” ■ “Maybe we can show government how See UNITY TEMPLE on page 12
SAY Connects presents our next installment in a series of community conversations. Come hear what our young people have to say. January 17, 2019 • Julian Middle School Auditorium: 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Registration is Required - RSVP at oakpark.com/sayconnects Email advance questions to: sayconnects@oakpark.com