Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1960 [PAGE 293]

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290

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[February m

b. The Rail Terminal site is located in the general area between State Street and the Chicago River and from Congress Street to Fourteenth Street. It is now occupied by the Grand Central Station, LaSalle Street Station, and the Dearborn Street Station, and used by fourteen railroads. c. Garfield Park is a large p a r k located between the Congress Street Expressway and Fulton Street, between Hamlin and Homan Boulevards. The portion which would be used for the University's first stage is that lying south of Madison Street. All of the important buildings in the park are located in the park areas north of Madison Street and are not involved in this site. d. Riverside Golf Club is a privately-owned golf club located, roughly speaking, between Desplaines Avenue and First Avenue and between Twentysecond and Twenty-sixth Street in North Riverside." Further exploration by the Committee on General Policy and consideration of information it has received make it clear that of these four sites, two are now considered as having first priority — Northerly Island and the Riverside Golf Club. Both are endorsed by the University administration as acceptable and desirable. ( I n a separate statement the factors which limit the consideration of the Rail Terminal site and Garfield P a r k are outlined.) T h e Committee on General Policy has reviewed the comparative merits of Riverside Golf Club and Northerly Island as sites for the Chicago Undergraduate Division. These two locations have been judged as acceptable in terms of accessibility, environment, and expansibility. In all considerations of this problem, the Board of Trustees has been motivated only by the desire to acquire the best possible site at an advantageous price and within a time limit which would make it possible for the new facilities to be available without closing the doors upon qualified students who wish to attend the University of Illinois. Mindful that to meet this time schedule action must be procured in the current session of the General Assembly, and that estimates of cost for appropriation purposes must be submitted promptly to the budget offices of the state government, the Committee on General Policy believes the best solution of the site question is the Riverside Golf Club. T h e Committee is mindful of the desires of many people and public officials to have the Chicago Undergraduate Division within the city limits, but since the only other recommended site now under consideration is Northerly Island, and since the Committee has no assurance that Northerly Island is available, or that it will be made available within a reasonable time schedule, or at a cost equal to or less than that projected for Riverside, the Committee believes the Riverside Golf Club should be designated as the site since it can be acquired through proceedings in eminent domain, if necessary. Accordingly, the Committee recommends that the Board of Trustees authorize and direct the President of the University, through appropriate staff officers and with such other assistance as may be required, to negotiate with official representatives of Riverside Golf Club for the acquisition of its holdings and with such other owners of property immediately adjacent to the Club grounds as may be desirable for the initial planning development. If negotiations fail, the President is directed to submit a plan for the acquisition of the properties through proceedings in eminent domain. T h e Committee further recommends that the President of the University be directed to submit to the Governor the estimated sum required to finance the purchase, and to amend the requests of the Board of Trustees for the capital budget of the University as submitted to the State Department of Finance to include this item plus $1,300,000 for architectural plans and initial site development. Finally, the Committee recommends that this action be reconsidered by the Board, if, within thirty days from this date, the P a r k District of the City of Chicago should make a firm offer in writing to the President of the University to transfer Northerly Island to the Board of Trustees at a reasonable cost compared to that projected for the Riverside Golf Club for the development of the Chicago Undergraduate Division including assurance of free fill over a reasonable period of time for the lagoons on the west side of Northerly Island. T h e thirty-day limitation of time is necessary because a request for an appropriation by the General Assembly of Illinois must be made in March, 1959.