Aug. 17, 2006
Editorial: Preserving observatory

The University of Chicago has been a good neighbor to the village of Williams Bay and the other communities surrounding Lake Geneva since 1897, when it opened the now historic Yerkes Observatory. The massive telescope - now obsolete as a scientific tool but with some educational value still - drew scientists from across the world and became in time a national monument to space exploration. It also became a Wisconsin treasure and a favorite spot to visit for more than a few families.

It would be a shame if now, at the end of its ownership of the observatory, the university tarnished its reputation and legacy in the region. But that could happen if the university isn't very careful about what happens to the observatory and the surrounding land after the school leaves. And village officials need to be just as careful in deciding whether to grant a zoning change request to allow development of the site.

At issue is a proposal under which the university would sell the land to a New York-based developer that would build a 100-room lakefront resort and 73 homes on the site. The observatory, and the 30 acres on which it sits, would be donated to the village of Williams Bay, which, in turn, would create an exposition district and turn over operation of the 40-inch refracting telescope to a non-profit operating group.

One can understand the university's desire to unload the observatory; it costs about $400,000 to run annually, and selling the site would generate a hefty profit. Mirbeau Cos. offered $10 million for its resort plan. Aurora University, which operates a campus adjacent to the Yerkes property, offered
$4.5 million and a proposal to build 11 homes.

University of Chicago President Dan Randel has said that the Mirbeau proposal would meet the school's goals of preserving the observatory, generating money for research and offering a "high-quality and environmentally sensitive development." And if it does that, the proposal is worthy of serious consideration.

But that's the rub. Not everyone is convinced the project is environmentally sensitive. The Geneva Lake Conservancy, among others, has raised serious concerns. "This is really the last natural wooded remnant on the lake," said Charles Ebeling, chairman of the group. The group also is concerned, he told us in an e-mail, that high-density development near the lake "may contribute to threats to water quality . . . as well as added crowding on the lake waters and decrease in the quality of life for those who use the lake."

Citizens at recent public hearings have raised concerns over the long-term financial support of Yerkes, which would eventually become the village's responsibility. The opposition has generated talk of other proposals and plans for the site.

Village officials would serve their constituents best by obtaining satisfactory answers to all of the concerns that have been raised. In the meantime, university officials may want to take another look at the Aurora offer. It may not bring them as much profit, but it may bring them a lot of goodwill.

From the Aug. 18, 2006 editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel