About

Campus Expansion and Improvements

Campus Expansion

Updated 3/24/25

Our Proposals

Parker aspires to strengthen itself as an anchor in the Chicago educational landscape. We hope to provide education for more students from throughout the city, especially from neighborhoods less represented than in the past, and to increase our socioeconomic diversity as well.
We also hope to enhance the existing campus, including improvements to the athletic field, and enhancements to safety and security.

Our Commitments

When Parker first started to think about expansion plans, we made certain commitments to the neighborhood about aspects of our future project’s design and operation. Those commitments remain unchanged as follows:
  • Keep the façade of our project on Belden essentially the same, retaining the look and feel of the residential street.
  • Maintain similar overall building height.
  • Have no drop-off and pickup activities on Belden and continue drop-off and pickup activities where they occur today—Clark Street and Webster Avenue.
  • Implement environmentally responsible design practices.

List of 9 items.

  • Why does Parker need more space?

    • We are at capacity for our current programming, and a 21st century education requires more and different types of space for teaching and learning.
    • Parker is committed to increasing socioeconomic diversity and offering more access to historically underrepresented students.
    • A culturally diverse student body is crucial to Parker's educational mission. Cultural competence is a critical skill, and we need to build a diverse community as early as possible in a student’s educational trajectory.

  • Why expand to 327–335 W. Belden (Belden by the Park)?

    • It is integral to our educational model to have all grades on campus under one roof.
    • Belden allows us to add space that is physically connected to our current campus.
    • Parker currently owns both 317–325 W. Belden and “Belden by the Park” (327–335 W. Belden).
    • We have chosen to expand into the Belden by the Park property for the following reasons:
      • Larger land area than 317–325 W. Belden
      • Easier to connect Belden by the Park to our current campus
    • Tenants of Belden by the Park will be given ample notice before work begins.
    • For the foreseeable future, 317–325 W. Belden will continue to be a high-quality rental building.

  • Façade preservation


    • Top image features the existing Belden north façade with the penthouse additions.
    • Bottom image demonstrates proposed façade preservation.
    • Parker anticipates that significant portions of the western façade will be preserved.
    • The Project contemplates new windows installed at the location of the existing windows in the north façade which will essentially match existing color and style and conform to current energy codes.
    • Goals for the project include the use of natural and recycled materials to reduce carbon footprint.

  • How does Parker plan to connect the buildings?

    • Parker proposes connecting its current building to the Belden building via a pedestrian overpass.
    • The overpass will not impede cars and trucks in the alley.
    • The overpass allows us to keep drop-off and pickup activities where they currently take place on Webster and Clark.
    • Images of existing and future east alley views are available here.

  • What are some of the improvements Parker is considering making to the currently existing building?

    • Enlarged first and second grade classrooms
    • State-of-the-art robotics lab
    • New small gym space for JK/SK
    • Expanded multi-station cafeteria
    • More Upper School spaces for additional programming

  • We hope to incoporate numerous sustainability strategies

    Sustanability strategies include:
    • Wellness certification
    • Natural and recycled materials to reduce carbon footprint
    • Rainwater harvesting system for irrigation
    • Solar energy system
    • Visual and spatial transparency to encourage an increased
      sense of school community

  • How does Parker plan to grow its population and increase the diversity of the student body?

    • Parker hopes to grow enrollment gradually over a 7-year period.
    • We anticipate adding one section of about 18 students, beginning in JK, which will carry through 5th grade. The size of each grade (JK–5) will be the current size of our Middle School grades (6–8).
    • The Middle and Upper Schools would stay the same sizes they are now.
    • In total, we project the addition of about 126 students. 
    • Over this same time-frame, we would also add 3–5 new employees each year totaling around 30 overall.
    • Parker plans to redouble efforts to increase representation from underserved populations, including fundraising to significantly grow our financial assistance endowment to increase socioeconomic diversity.

  • When will campus expansion and enrollment growth begin?

    • Campus expansion will depend in great part on fundraising success and on obtaining city approvals.
    • Construction may be phased.
    • Belden by the Park tenants will be given ample notice before work begins.
    • Enrollment growth and staff additions would not begin until the new building is ready for occupancy, by the 2029–30 at the earliest.

  • More information and renderings

    • The planned Belden building adaptation and proposed overpass will be approximately 50,000 square feet, compared to the 71,000 square feet allowed under the current zoning.
    • The proposed overall height to the top of the roof is approximately 50 feet (with a few mechanical/ancillary structures away from the street marginally taller). This is generally equivalent to the height of the existing penthouse additions (which are just under 50’).
    • Proposed future elevation rendering available here.
    • Proposed rooftop rendering available here.
    • Existing and proposed future east alley views here.

Exterior Improvements and Neighborhood Safety Enhancements

Proposed Field Lights: Have Listened Carefully to Earlier Neighborhood’s Concerns

We have done much due diligence to light the field in a way that is beneficial to students AND respectful to neighbors.
  1. Experts provided analysis and state-of-the-art technological recommendations.
    • Sought expertise for:
      • Light condition analyses
      • State of the art technological recommendations
      • Review of lighting system proposals
      • Compliance with guidelines
  2. Our own usage analysis has guided our proposals.
  3. Parker is pursuing DarkSky compliance.

Proposed Enhanced Safety Measures for the Neighborhood

  • Increased pedestrian lighting on Lincoln Park West and Webster
  • New security cameras along the perimeter of campus

List of 8 items.

  • Technical goals for exterior improvements

    • Illuminate the field for safe athletics usage while being sensitive to our immediate neighbors
    • Minimize light spillage beyond field boundaries
    • Install environmentally responsible lighting
    • Enhance safety for the neighborhood
    • Automate system to avoid human error

  • Much has changed since Parker originally proposed field lights

    • Lighting technology has vastly improved, essentially eliminating light spill beyond the field.
    • Computerized automation will eliminate human error by ensuring lights are turned off by 9:15 p.m.
    • Parker’s athletic programming needs have increased.

  • What makes Parker confident there will be minimal light spillage outside the field?


    • Internationally recognized lighting design firm Schuler Shook provided advice:
      • Reviewed field and pedestrian lighting proposal
      • Confirmed compliance with applicable guidelines
    • State-of-the-art LED light fixtures with precision optics will keep light on the field.
    • Additional light beyond field boundaries will be minimal. See chart of foot-candle measurements here.
    • Example of actual field installation here.

  • Targeted light plan and placement


    • Lighting design will pursue compliance with guidelines established by the Illuminating Engineering Society and the International DarkSky Association, an international organization whose mission through design standards and project certifications is “to restore the nighttime environment and protect communities and wildlife from light pollution.”
    • Sixty-foot pole height (similar to school building and tree canopy) will allow for light to be directed down into the field and minimizes light and illumination beyond the field.
    • Integrated visors on lights reduce visibility of light into the sky and adjacent areas.
    • There will be four poles, one per corner.

  • Parker pursuing DarkSky Compliance

    • International organization—standards to curb light pollution and protect the night’s sky.
    • Mission: “To restore the nighttime environment and protect communities and wildlife from light pollution”
    • Jointly, with the Illuminating Engineering Society, established Five Key Principles for Responsible Outdoor Lighting:
    • Example: Ackerman Park, IL
    • Example: Canyon View Park, CO 
    • Example: Waunakee Community High School, WI

  • Field light usage plan

    • When seasonally necessary, usage hours would be:
      • 6:15 a.m. start
      • No later than 9:15 p.m. finish
      • Typically, first 15-30 minutes and final 15 minutes would be reduced
      • Lighting for set-up/clean-up and maintenance
    • System would be automated to avoid human error
    • Weekend usage only occasional and may include neighborhood or community events

  • Why field lights?

    • Sports and athletics are an essential part of our mission to educate the whole child.
    • Our athletic field is the largest classroom we use to carry out this mission.
    • The field must be upgraded to meet the needs of our students.
    • All students are invited to play and be part of a team at Parker.
    • The result is a very popular and committed sports program with more than three-fourths of middle and high school students participating.
    • There is more demand for field time than daylight hours allow, and varsity teams must play complete games in order to participate in Illinois High School Association play. Therefore, the younger and less experienced students are the ones who miss out on playing time. This is counter to the school’s ethos.
    • Lights would double playing time on the field in the fall and spring.

  • Parker is offering to fund and install neighborhood safety measures if the neighborhood is interested

    Pedestrian Lighting
    • If the field lighting project moves forward, Parker will install nine new exterior light fixtures to illuminate public sidewalks.
    • Pedestrians will be able to see further and more clearly.
    • Precision optics will concentrate illumination on the sidewalk to limit light spillage.
    Cameras
    • If the field lighting project moves forward, Parker is offering to install security cameras along Webster Avenue and Lincoln Park West in addition to new cameras planned along Clark Street, Belden Avenue and the alley south of Belden Avenue.
    • Cameras record 24-7-365, Parker would keep recordings for a limited time.
    • Footage would be made available to those with a legitimate interest.

About Traffic and Parking

List of 4 items.

  • Parker commissioned a transportation evaluation

    • Parker retained Kimley-Horn & Associates to conduct a transportation evaluation.
    • The goal was to understand the impact of Parker's expansion and improvement proposals on neighborhood traffic and parking.
    • The draft evaluation has been shared with Chicago Department of Transportation for technical review.

  • The proposed expansion will not significantly affect traffic flow

    • Kimley-Horn found that Parker currently has a carefully coordinated and monitored student drop-off and pick-up system, and that adjustments are made as necessary.
    • Any increases in drop-off and pick-up traffic will take place gradually over seven years, allowing for adjustments to drop-off/pick-up procedures to be made if necessary.
    • Kimley-Horn studied current afternoon dismissal queues (which are longer than morning queues) and surveyed parents, students and staff about how they get to school. Kimley-Horn used this information to estimate the effect of the proposed expansion on drop-off and pick-up traffic flows.
    • Under the current pick-up system, when the campus expansion project is fully occupied (7 years after completion) afternoon queues will increase by approximately 8 vehicles southbound and 7 vehicles northbound on Lincoln Park West.
    • Pick-up queues at Lincoln Park West and Webster are expected to fully clear in 16 to 18 minutes (compared to 12 to 14 minutes currently).
    • There will be essentially no effect on Clark and Sedgwick where grades 4-12 drop-off and pick-up.

  • There are no parking implications associated with the expansion plans

    • Based on survey data, Kimley-Horn expects an additional 21 vehicles parked in the neighborhood when the expansion is fully occupied seven years after completion.
    • The additional vehicles are not expected to adversely affect nearby streets.
    • Kimley-Horn found that off-street parking options within a 10-minute walk from Parker's campus have plenty of capacity.

  • Evening athletic parking is not expected to significantly affect neighborhood parking

    • There will be few, if any, added games. The change is that already scheduled games will be able to be played to completion and end after dark.
    • For the great majority of evening athletic events—practices and lightly attended games—Kimley-Horn found that there is no parking impact.
    • For the few bigger events Parker hosts (rival and play-off games), Kimley-Horn found that there are multiple off-street parking options with plenty of capacity to supplement on-street parking. 

Questions?

Contact development@fwparker.org.
330 West Webster Avenue | Chicago, Illinois 60614 | 773.353.3000
Francis W. Parker School educates students to think and act with empathy, courage and clarity as responsible citizens and leaders in a diverse democratic society and global community.