MEDIA CONTACT: Alan Cubbage at 847-491-4886 or a-cubbage@northwestern.edu

February 10, 2004

Northwestern, Evanston Settle Historic District Lawsuit

EVANSTON, Ill. --- Northwestern University and the City of Evanston have agreed to settle a federal lawsuit over the inclusion of some of the University’s property in a city historic district, University and city officials announced today.

The settlement, which is detailed in a consent decree to be presented to U.S. District Court Judge Marvin Aspen, calls for some of Northwestern’s properties to be excluded from the district while allowing the district to remain in place. In a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago in November 2000, Northwestern challenged the City of Evanston’s action in designating the Northeast Evanston Historic District. The University asked the court to invalidate the historic district and to prohibit the city from enforcing the ordinance that created the historic district. Trial was scheduled to begin March 1.

A total of 14 University properties will be excluded from the district as a result of the settlement and 42 other properties owned by Northwestern will remain in the district. The properties that will be excluded from the district include a residence hall and gymnasium built in the 1970s, the student health center built in the 1950s, a faculty office building constructed in 1999, several parking lots, and some houses now used as office buildings.

“We’re very pleased that we were able to reach a mutually agreeable compromise with the city,” said Eugene S. Sunshine, Northwestern’s senior vice president for business and finance. “We filed this lawsuit reluctantly and we think we arrived at a solution that is good for both parties. ”

The settlement negotiations were mediated by former U.S. Congressman and Appellate Court Justice Abner Mikva, who met with both parties on a number of occasions.

“Judge Mikva was instrumental in helping us reach a settlement, so we very much appreciate his good counsel,” Sunshine said. “By reaching a settlement, both parties are able to avoid the further expense, burden and uncertainty of a trial.”

In addition to excluding certain University properties, the consent decree mandates that:

• A committee comprised of University and City officials will meet regularly or as needed to discuss issues relating to planning, land use, building and zoning matters affecting the University’s current properties in the area west of Sheridan Road.

• The University’s property east of Sheridan Road and those properties excluded from the district by the consent decree will not be subject to any “binding appearance review,” a process under which new buildings would be reviewed by a city commission and could be rejected based on their appearance.

• Northwestern agrees not to build anything for 20 years on the open land on Foster Street, just west of Sheridan Road and just north of the Foster-Walker Undergraduate Housing Complex.

• Northwestern agrees not to demolish existing buildings at 2010 and 2016 Sheridan Road for 10 years and also agrees to a 10-year moratorium on construction along Sheridan Road in the block between Foster Street and Library Place.

• Northwestern will make a one-time contribution of $700,000 to the City of Evanston. This amount is based on the University’s estimate of the approximate costs of improvements in street lighting in the areas west of Sheridan Road that the City is planning to begin later this year. This area, encompassing 52 University buildings, is between Emerson Street on the south, Sheridan Road on the east, Central Street on the north and Ridge Avenue on the west. The city’s work on public property will complement similar lighting improvements made recently by Northwestern on its land.

“We believe that it is important that the University assist the City in improving street lighting in these locations,” Sunshine said. “This has been a real concern for our students, faculty and staff and other residents in those areas. We believe strongly that we can work in partnership with the City, as we do with the local school districts, Evanston businesses and other entities, on projects that mutually benefit the City and Northwestern, such as this.”