1991-2 Tennis Bubble

In the Fall of 1991, NU filed an application to install as a seasonal seasonal enclosure, a pneumatic dome over the three tennis courts adjacent to McGaw Hall in order to allow collegiate practice in the winter. The Bubble was to stay in place from October to May each year.

It is lucky the permitted Bubble did not collapse as did tennis bubbles in other states, in 2012 and 2014.

See below one page from the application, filed on November 9 [7?] of 1991

NU invited neighbors to hear about the Bubble proposal at a meeting on November 10, 1991. On p. 9 of the ZBA minutes, Mr. Wilson, NU Associate Provost, talks about the evening session.

"Had an evening session and we have to report for your information that only 5 people among those who were notified of the meeting, although it was a rainy Sunday evening, only 5 people came. And that included the two alderpeople. I do feel that is somewhat indicative that it did not -- members of the immediate neighborhood did not feel it was going to be detrimental to the community."

Spotlight argues that Mr. Wilson's conclusion about the residents is unwarranted: Not only was the meeting held on a rainy Sunday evening, in November, but according to the information given at the ZBA, the notices skipped the apartments on Central Street, only the east side of Eastwood was covered, and none of the many properties on Livingston, Chancellor and Jenks that lie within 500 feet of the athletic facilities were included.

As part of the documentation for the ZBA, Spotlight has one page describing Mc Gaw Hall's physical site characteristics, its surrounding land use and pertinent property history. The 1984 Home Show and the 1985 Junior League of Chicago are listed in the history.

• 1984-5: Home Show
• 1985 Junior League of Chicago

Below are the minutes of the ZBA meeting (probably December 18, 1991) regarding the Bubble application.

Spotlight is missing several pages.

• p. 10. Mr Perry explains why the Bubble is being proposed for the 7th Ward facilities and not on the lake campus. Perry's justification that in the summer the open air courts are used by both the teams and the public, doesn't make sense because in the cold season the open courts are not used at all. The Bubble could have been put on the Lake Campus tennis courts easily, with the understanding it would be used in the cold season solely for the teams. The second justification makes only sense if you consider NU's favorite modus operandi: expansion in the U2 District.

Perry: Basically what we've tried-- attempted to do here, would be to put the covering within the existing athletic area so that it would be -- tie in with the other existing athletic uses here.

• p. 26- Chairman Bleavans: Are there any long term plans to build a permanent all-weather structure there?

Mr. Perry: Not a this time no. That's why we're going with this particular proposal.

Of course, not many years later, the refurbished Welsh Ryan Arena provides indoor tennis facilities. And, moreover, in 2019, professional tennis tournaments are proposed within.

Below, see the December 18, 1991 ZBA approval for the Bubble [only p.2 available].

Below is the January 13, 1992 Planning and Development approval of the Bubble

The Bubble proposal was introduced at Council on January 13 and approved on January 28, 1992.

It's unclear to Spotlight what the 12/27/91 date on the first page of the Council ordinance refers to.