Neighbors along Waukegan Road in Northfield could see a 14,800-square-foot gymnasium rise by fall 2027, if the Village Board approves a plan that cleared its first hurdle on Monday, July 13.

Christian Heritage Academy, the private pre-K–12 school at 315 Waukegan Road, won approval from Northfield's Architectural Commission to demolish its unused chapel and build a new athletic facility the school calls an "activity center." The project also adds 1,978 square feet to the administration building and a half-court outdoor basketball court for recess.

The Village Board still must sign off. The board's next session is Tuesday, July 21 at Village Hall, 361 Happ Road, after being rescheduled from July 28. No published agenda has confirmed the project is on that night's docket. Residents can check northfieldil.org for updates. Trustee Charles Orth serves as the board's liaison to the Architecture Commission.

What's changing on the ground

The chapel being torn down seats about 100 people and was built between 1966 and 1967. It and an adjoining corridor total just over 3,630 square feet. Joan Russick, project manager from OKW Architects, told commissioners Monday night that the school no longer uses the chapel and that it has "fallen into significant disrepair."

The replacement gym would be large enough to host two full-court basketball games and four volleyball games at the same time, with telescoping seating and a retractable divider. The school's existing 200-seat gym would remain but would no longer host games.

School representatives told village officials Monday that Christian Heritage has "maxed out" its current gym. In bad weather, younger students have been running activities in hallways. Middle and upper school teams have been shuttling to off-campus gyms and churches for practice because they cannot all fit in the same space.

Cost and funding

The activity center carries a $6.7 million price tag, funded through the school's "Train Up" capital campaign, a $12 million fundraising drive launched more than three years ago. As of mid-July, the campaign had raised $9.66 million, or 80 percent of its goal. The remaining campaign dollars are earmarked for $2.6 million in debt payoff and $2.7 million toward a student financial aid fund.

School representatives said they expect to break ground in fall 2026 and finish by fall 2027, contingent on continued fundraising.

Chapel concerns

When a resident at Monday's commission meeting raised concerns about losing the chapel, Andy Bulluck, chairman of the school's board of directors, acknowledged the difficulty.

"We did not want to lose the chapel, but given the constraints of how much it's actually used and the state that it's currently in and also what we felt would be the greatest stewardship opportunity for us for our limited budget, we made the decision that it was best to say goodbye to the chapel," Bulluck said.

Russick said the building's size is dictated by competitive basketball and volleyball court requirements, and that its simple design reflects budget constraints.

What residents should know

The project requires multiple code variations that have not been publicly detailed. The village has not released specifics on which code sections are involved. Residents seeking those details can file a FOIA request through Northfield's village offices at northfieldil.org or call 847-446-9200.

North Shore government week ahead

Tuesday, July 21 — Northfield Village Board of Trustees meeting (rescheduled from July 28), 7 p.m., Village Hall, 361 Happ Road. Committee of the Whole at 5:30 p.m. Check northfieldil.org for the published agenda.