Something strange happened Thursday night in the Civic Center City Council chambers. There was a meeting involving Northwestern University (technically he was the NU-City Committee), but no one from the public showed up to comment or observe the proceedings.
The quick meeting, without much discussion or criticism from Evanston residents about rebuilding Ryan Field, was a welcome reprieve for university officials. University officials have spent much of the last year being criticized at similar public meetings by opponents of concerts at the new football field. stadium.
a 2004 Consent Decree We have established a special committee aimed at amicably resolving disputes between Northwestern and the City. This includes one City Council member, two community representatives, and two university administrators. The commission ultimately has authority over construction, demolition, and other impacts on her T1, T2, and U1 zoning districts within the city. T2 and U1 include areas near Northwestern’s main campus, as shown below. However, T1 includes the parking lot just west of Ryan Field.
Thursday night’s meeting saw a crowd of several hundred people and a lack of attendance after the Ryan Field reconstruction approval process, which took place several times. One of the representatives, David Schoenfeld, asked the city of Northwestern. Plans have been announced for 60 annual events for up to 7,500 people at Ryan Field and the surrounding athletic campus along Central Street.
“This is right on the border, so it’s going to flow into that T1 zone. So, can you talk a little bit about what happened with the 7,500 people?” Kelly asked.
Luke Figora, Northwestern’s chief operating officer, said there is “no real impact” on the T1 area, which will “continue to be used as a parking lot.”
“At this time, there are no other types of events planned that would impact these T1 parking zones,” he said.
So far in the process of rebuilding the stadium, the university has not elaborated on these events other than to suggest that they will be “community events” such as holiday markets, movie nights, temporary ice skating rinks, or perhaps musical performances. Not yet.
But Schoenfeld asked Northwestern officials on the committee, both Figora and Dave Davis, senior executive director of neighborhood and community relations, about what the university intended to do with these events. We asked for a more specific answer regarding whether and how it would be managed.
“Leaving aside the zoning differences between the two parts of the property, even without a plan at the blueprint stage, it is unclear what Northwestern is considering for the Ryan Field property as a whole. Can you give us any information or insight about what that vision is? Because whatever that vision is, it impacts T1’s assets,” Schoenfeld said. “So I would like to know what the university is considering for the U2 space as a whole in terms of these ancillary events and structures.”
However, Mr. Figora and Mr. Davis further emphasized that the T1 parking lot will not be affected and that we do not really know at this point what exactly those 60 events will cause.
“There are no events scheduled in the T1 area. There are no events scheduled at all at this time,” Figora said. “What the university has said is that the university is interested in doing community-based events. They’ve said on the record that they have a fall festival, a winter festival, things like that. But again, they don’t know what yet. It’s not even planned. We’re talking years into the future.”
“Please let me know,” Mr. Schoenfeld replied.