The contested plan to expand St. Francis Xavier School in Wilmette is back before the village's Zoning Board of Appeals on Wednesday, August 5, this time with a revised application that neighbors have been waiting months to see.

Saints Joseph and Francis Xavier Parish is seeking a zoning variation and an expansion of a special use for its campus at 808 Linden Ave. The agenda packet for the hearing was posted Friday, July 31, at wilmette.gov, giving residents their first detailed look at what the parish changed. The SFX case is the highest-profile item confirmed on the docket.

What the parish is asking for

According to The Record North Shore, the original proposal called for demolishing the former two-story school building on the southwest corner of Linden Avenue, the administrative building at Greenleaf Avenue and Ninth Street, and a house at 825 Linden Ave. The parish also requested that the alley running from the east side of the existing school building to Ninth Street be vacated.

The Village of Wilmette confirmed on its official Facebook page that the parish submitted an "updated application" for the school addition and extensive campus renovations. That means the plans have been revised since the initial public hearing earlier this year. The village has also created a dedicated project page for the case.

What specifically changed in the revised plans is not yet clear from the posted materials.

Neighborhood opposition

The proposal has drawn organized pushback since late 2025. An online petition called "Not This Plan" circulated among neighbors, citing concerns about the demolition of historic buildings, the proposed alley vacation, and student safety. Eight neighbors spoke against the project at an Appearance Review Commission preliminary review in December 2025.

Whether the revised application addresses those concerns remains to be seen Wednesday night.

How to attend

The ZBA meets at 7 p.m. Wednesday, August 5, in Council Chambers at Village Hall, 1200 Wilmette Avenue. The board's mid-July session was cancelled, making this its first hearing since early July. The full agenda packet is available for download at wilmette.gov/AgendaCenter under the Zoning Board of Appeals category.