1982 McGaw Hall Renovation ZBA 82-7- SU (R)

Doug Single, NU Director of Athletics send an invitation to residents on April 5, 1982, to attend a meeting two days later to learn about NU next major project to renovate and refurbish McGaw Hall.

Doug Single writes:

"Northwestern has made a commitment to become athletically competitive in the Big Ten Conference. A large part of this commitment is reflected in facilities renovations and improvements in the Dyche Stadium area."

There is no indication in the letter or the following ZBA minutes about using the renovated facilites for commercial purposes in the future. In fact, none of the city applications for renovating/construction of NU facilities have ever contained any language indicating that that those facilities would be used for hosting commercial events or professional sports.

The following document is p. 2 of the "prehearing report on the property", presented at the April 20 1982 ZBA meeting.

Below are the minutes of the ZBA meeting held on April 20, 1982. The transcription was completed by Gail Smith on April 30, 1982.

In 2019, a "resume" of what was said during the September 11 Plan Commission was promised to be available on October 30: Forty-nine days after the actual televised meeting.

The above meeting included the following statement [emphasis added]

p.2 - Mr. Perry: This proposed renovation...will not change the use of the facility at all. As I said earlier, the renovation is being proposed as a means to enhance our athletic and recreational programs, and also to allow us to continue to attract students and faculty. Proper facilities for these activities will assist to serve the University in achieving that goal; and also improve the quality of our extra-curricular life.

p.3 - Leland [Senior Associate Director of Athletics]:... to allow for exhibitions in intercollegiate athletics, lectures, commencements, et cetera; and also provide some more adequate general usage space for recreation.

p.4 - Perry: Could you please briefly tell the Board what concerns the residents were, if any?

Leland: I think their biggest concern really were in two areas. One was the capital outlay that the University was going to go through to renovate McGaw Hall...require the University to recoup that - those monies by an increase number of events.....the residents...expressed to us the feeling that the intercollegiate athletic events in the area, although causing some problems for them regarding parking, traffic, vandalism, clean-up and the other type of things - I think that the intercollegiate events, mens' basketball and football, were not the things that really bothered them. I think their real concern was - how many other type of events were we going to plan to hold in McGaw Hall now that we've renovated it, and were these new events going to be required by the University to recoup the money. . ..I don't think we won them over to our side completely - but I think we were able to discuss the protection that the City Zoning Ordinance will affords the people in the Dyche Stadium area regarding the special use permit required to have special events inside the hall - that is outside of intercollegiate events.

p.5 - Leland: ...is going to increase tremendously the amount of teaching and work-out areas that we will be able to house inside of McGaw; not only for basketball exhibition...much more usable space for practice and recreational purposes....better teaching that we can do inside of it.On June, 28 the City Council granted the special use for the renovation of McGAw Hall

On June, 28 the City Council granted the special use for the renovation of McGAw Hall.