Skokie panel approves Hillel Torah addition and facade updates, emphasizes playground protection

The Skokie Appearance Commission on April 15 approved exterior changes for Hillel Torah North Suburban Day School, including a 2,485-square-foot addition, facade unification and a new monument sign, while flagging safety measures for a playground adjacent to a drive aisle.

Staff told the commission the plan had received a positive recommendation from the plan commission and that “the staff's primary concern relates to the location of the playground and the proposed landscaping improvements surrounding it,” noting potential exposure to vehicular traffic from the Laramie Avenue drive access. Stuart Bridal, an architect with White and Company, said the design emphasizes safety: “So this project is also about safety,” and described a low two-layer concrete planter and a continuous cedar fence that together will act as vehicle protection for the play area.

Commissioners asked about fence height, sightlines and surface materials; applicants said the fence will be six feet high where required and the planters serve as both landscape elements and vehicle barriers. The design team also showed material samples and described a cement-fiber ashlar panel and glazed office elements intended to visually unify a building constructed in stages from 1959 through the 1990s.

After discussion the commission moved to grant a certificate of appropriateness "as presented." The motion carried by roll call. The applicants said they expect to begin construction this summer after obtaining building permits.

The approval covers exterior facade and sign work only; interior plans and code-level zoning approvals remain subject to separate reviews.