Superintendent Recommends More Testing on Proposed School Site

The Board of Education Wednesday took additional steps to respond to concerns about the proposed site of a new middle school on Herrick Road in Warrenville.  Superintendent Gary T. Catalani outlined a three-step plan that he believes will put to rest any concerns residents may have about the safety of the 18-acre site and its proximity to the BP Naperville campus.

First, Dr. Catalani recommended the appointment of Jenner & Block LLP to represent and advise the District on environmental issues related to the Herrick Road property.  The Board later authorized that appointment.  Wheaton resident James Vroman will be the firm’s lead attorney on these issues.

Next, Dr. Catalani reported that the property’s owner, McNaughton Builders, Inc. will apply to enter the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s Site Remediation Program to secure a No Further Remediation (NFR) letter indicating the property is essentially free of environmental contaminants.  This process is normally used by land owners to get a clean bill of health for property that has been remediated after environmental testing showed significant contamination.  While that is not the case for this property, it is believed that a ruling by the IEPA will allay concerns that a few residents have rasied regarding earlier testing at the proposed school site.  Two environmental firms tested the property in late summer and reported the District should not be deterred from building a school on the site due to environmental concerns.  They, in fact, called the property ‘pristine’. 

Finally, the District is interviewing companies to conduct a risk assessment of the proposed site in relation to its proximity to the BP Naperville Campus.  In addition to concerns about the environmental safety of the site, several residents have expressed concern that there is a potential danger in locating a school near the research and office facility.  The Board will consider this option next month after the interview process is completed.

Dr. Catalani told the Board of Education he believes these steps will give residents who are unsure about the safety of locating a school near the BP Naperville Campus objective and verifiable information to guide their thinking on the issue.  Should either of the reports conclude that the site has risks greater than those on any other site that might be chosen for a new school, the Board will abandon its plans to build there and look for other options.

After outlining these plans, Dr. Catalani spoke to the financial advantages of selling the existing Hubble property and building a new school on another site.  He noted that the City of Wheaton holds the key to the sale price and redevelopment of the property, but early estimates indicate the property is valued at $20 million if it can become a multi-use development with a mix of residential, retail and commercial space.  If that happens, the sale price of the Hubble property would help offset the taxpayer cost for the new school. 

Additionally, Dr. Catalani said, property owners throughout the District would benefit from the increased assessed valuation of the property, which likely would generate $40-$50 million in additional property taxes over the next 20 years.  On top of the property tax gains, the City of Wheaton would realize additional sales tax revenue of $7-$10 million during that same time if the site is developed aggressively.

Renovating the existing school or building a new school on the existing site eliminate the above savings to taxpayers.