Mid-North Association Letter of Opposition to Current Parker Proposal sent to Alderman Knudsen on May 18, 2026
May 18, 2026
Dear Alderman Knudsen,
Mid-North Association strongly opposes the Francis W. Parker School’s (Parker) proposal to demolish a historic multi-family residential building at 327 – 335 W. Belden and to install stadium lighting on their field located within the Mid-North residential community. This letter puts in writing what we conveyed to you during our meeting on May 11, 2026.
The Mid-North Association’s mission is to protect and preserve the historic character of our architecturally significant community. The building targeted for demolition is the earliest building in the East Lincoln Park neighborhood. The building was designed by Samuel Nichols Crowen, an architect whose buildings in the Sheridan Park National Register Historic District are considered to be contributing. The Parker proposal to demolish the building diminishes the neighborhood’s unique historic character, removes residents from their homes, expands a school onto a residential street, destroys an existing architectural asset, puts unnecessary waste in landfills, erodes the property tax base which supports public schools and removes existing affordable family housing from the market.
Parker’s proposal to put stadium lighting in such close proximity to residences is completely inappropriate for a residential neighborhood. Parker has represented that improved light technology will intrude less than in the past; however, fundamentally the field lights must light a huge space: 100 to 130 yards long and 50 to 100 yards wide. The space must be lit to natural daytime conditions: end to end and top to bottom, at daylight level for the whole game, practice or event. This light bubble will not be on an open field away from residential buildings, like the other lighted fields in Lincoln Parks or the examples Parker has shown. Further, Parker is asking for the lights to be on from 6:00 a.m. until 9:15 p.m. disturbing neighborhood residents’ and visitors’ morning and evening activities. The ambient noise arising from events extending into the night will have a significant impact on the community. Ambient noise cannot be managed, will be disruptive to the neighborhood and will carry beyond the immediate corridor around the school. Stadium lighting does not belong in a residential neighborhood!
The Mid-North Association has been opposed to Parker adding lights to their field since 2011/2012 and is a party to the community agreement codifying no lights. Mid-North clearly opposed the acquisition of the buildings on Belden in 2020, as the attached February 2020 letter to Rikha Yoshida shows. Our positions have not changed. We recognize Parker as a valuable educational institution but Parker’s educational circumstances have not changed. If Parker wishes to expand, MNA and the surrounding community requests it do so inside its already expansive 6-acre footprint.
As the Commission on Chicago Historical and Landmarks noted in 1974 “Mid-North is a cohesive neighborhood that has an identity and character which make the whole greater than the sum of its individual parts.” Preserving the historic character and architectural consistency of our buildings are crucial to our neighborhood. As stated previously this structure is a contributing element to the architectural and cultural fabric of our landmark district. Its removal would not only harm the historic character of the neighborhood but also set a troubling precedent for the treatment of other heritage properties in our community.
Preserving peaceful residential life before and after the work/school day is critical to our community. This plan also ignores the communities concerns about dangerous traffic as well as parking for both residents and neighborhood businesses.
Parker’s proposal will cost the Mid-North district residents, affordable housing, a tax base that supports our public schools, eyes on the street, parking, light pollution and patrons to our businesses, while giving nothing to the neighborhood or broader community.
In conclusion, Mid North Association strongly opposes Parker’s current proposal. We ask that the alderman instead landmark the courtyard buildings, a significant portion of our historic neighborhood versus approving their destruction.
Melissa Macek
President, Mid-North Association