Proposed Glenbard West Additions To Be Discussed By Zoning Board

GLEN ELLYN, IL — Glen Ellyn's plan commission will hold a preapplication conference for a proposal for additions to Glenbard West High School that include a four-story, 20,975 square foot building comprised of classrooms, a black box theater and a student commons. The proposal's zoning requests will be discussed at the commission's March 20 meeting.

In addition to the four-story building, the school district seeks to add two vestibules to Biester Field House. The north vestibule will house a security office, and the south vestibule a conference room, per village documents.

The project is part of Glenbard High School District 87's master facilities plan, which is supported by a $183 million bond referendum that voters favored in the March 2024 election.

The 20,000 square foot building would be built just northwest of the high school's current campus. This includes 13,800 square feet of classroom space and 7, 200 square feet of student commons space.

Documents for the March 20 discussion indicate the addition would require seven zoning variations. These include variances in the current zoning requirements for building height, loading spaces and parking stalls.

As written, the current proposal suggests that buses may use Crescent Boulevard and parents may use the Lenox Road near Hawthorne Boulevard, along with Crescent Boulevard, to drop off and pick up students during construction.

According to village documents, the Glen Ellyn Police Department expressed concerns about how this plan might lead to issues with traffic on Crescent Boulevard. Police suggested having student pickup/dropoff on northbound Lenox between Linden Street and Hawthorne Boulevard

It's anticipated that village officials will request a traffic study and a parking study that will show long-term impact of the construction.

After the preapplication discussion, edits may be required before the proposal's formal application moves to be reviewed by the Glen Ellyn Plan Commission. Once the plan commission has given a positive recommendation, the proposal must be reviewed by the village board of trustees.