A North Shore man is hoping to donate his multimillion-dollar home and Renaissance art collection to Lake Forest College, but neighbors and area residents want to keep the college off their streets.
Robert Krebs, a retired Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad CEO and former Lake Forest College board member, said he plans to will his 9,200-square-foot mansion and his Renaissance art collection to the college so his home can become a center for scholarship, classes and lectures, according to a report in the Chicago Tribune.
College officials say the donation could boost the school’s standings and attract a higher caliber of student, but some of Krebs’ affluent neighbors say the move is less-than-ideal and are worried about noise, traffic, parking and students overtaking the area, the Tribune reported.
According to the report, city officials have required the college to seek a special-use permit for the project and have proposed several restrictions, including the number of people allowed on the property at one time and the number events it could host annually.
But some opponents say the restrictions are not enough, and claim the approval of the permit could hurt the character of the neighborhood.
