District 41 Plans Forum on Wheaton College Property Acquisition, New Hadley Facility

Glen Ellyn School District 41 tomorrow will host a community forum on the district's plan to buy Wheaton College property to build a new Hadley Junior High School.

The District 41 board next week will take action on a resolution allowing a formal offer on the 15-acre property at 1825 College Ave. in Wheaton. Because the property is not for sale, district officials have said the district may also acquire the property using eminent domain—a plan Wheaton College has opposed and called "poorly conceived."

Wheaton College officials said the college will "resist" the district's efforts to take the property through eminent domain.

The district has been engaged in facilities planning due to overcrowding since 2002, according to a District 41 news release. 

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After voters defeated a $40 million bond referendum to expand, renovate and restructure district schools in 2007, board members and staff analyzed the district's space through a boundary study and two task forces to conclude the district needs a new school, District 41 spokesman Julie Worthen told Patch last month.

After looking at every possibility—from redistricting to reworking the use of its existing facilities—the only viable option is building a new school, she said.

According to Wheaton College's background information on the property, 1825 College Ave.—the "East Campus" property—is, "An essential component to fulfilling the college's long-range plans and strategic goals, which may include undergraduate and graduate academic use, athletic facilities and student housing."

If the court accepts a motion to dismiss the eminent domain attempt, a jury could ultimately decide the price of the property, according to the District 41 website. 

The forum will be 7-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 3 at Hadley Junior High School.

Related:

• Where Else Did District 41 Look to Build a New Hadley?