What s the plan if park district swaps

Prospect Heights Park District commissioners are considering potential designs for a reconfiguration of John Muir Park but have yet to discuss in detail a proposed land swap that would enable it. Lexington Homes has made an offer to trade 0.62 acres from the former Jolly Fun House Academy site for anequal amount of parkland, along with a $500,000 payment to the park district. That would allow construction of a controversial 69-unit townhouse development north of the parkat 999 OakAve. The townhouse proposal received preliminary approval in a 3-2 vote from Prospect Heights aldermen this month, despite opposition from surrounding property owners. Without the land swap, Lexington Homes would resort to a backup plan for only 61 town houses on a 5.23-acre site. The company has not formally sought city approval for that proposal. At city meetings on the development, neighbors have strongly criticized the proposed development. And at last week s park district meeting, three residents voiced their opposition and swap, Executive Director ChristinaFerraro said. JohnMuir Park has a total of 4.5 acres. The usable land some 2 to 3 acres features a baseball diamond, a soccer field andopen space. Though the usable spacewould remain the same after a land swap, the site s reconfigured shape would allow for different opportunities, asdemonstrated by two conceptual drawings