20-03-2025
Wilmette planner who led Wayfair, downtown, Edens Plaza projects to retire
After 32 years in a variety of positions spread over three different stints, John Adler is leaving Wilmette as its community development director of 25 years.
Adler, 61, of Chicago, who left the village twice before but returned, said this time he is not certain of his immediate plans.
'I'm probably going to take the first three to six months to figure out what I'm going to do,' he said. 'I may consider doing some consulting. One of the reasons I kept coming back to Wilmette is it's a great community. Wilmette is fortunate, but really unlike any other community I've worked in.'
Adler, who started in Wilmette in 1986 as an intern and returned in 1989 as a planner for seven years, also served as a planner in Bolingbrook and Hoffman Estates. He served as community development director in Wilmette from 1998 to 2005 and again since 2008.
'It's been a great 32 years,' Adler said. 'I've been back for a while. Wilmette's a great place to work. It seems like the right time (to go).'
Adler's last day is April 30. Emily Egan, who previously served as development services director in Oak Park for one year, has joined the Wilmette staff to learn the ropes, and will succeed Adler.
Wilmette Village Manager Mike Braiman praised Adler as 'one of the best urban planners in Illinois' and said Wilmette was 'incredibly fortunate' to have him guiding the village's development department.
'Wilmette is a vibrant and desirable community because of John,' Braiman said. 'John will be missed by all those in the Community Development Department, Village Hall and the community. We wish him the best in his retirement.'
Adler attributed his success to fellow staff and village officials.
'That's very kind of him to say,' he said of Braiman's comments. 'That's all I want to say. Obviously, he must believe that, so I thank him for that. I'm proud of what happened during my 32 years, but as I mentioned earlier, that success is the result of the work of a lot of people.'
Under Adler's leadership, Wilmette experienced 'historic economic development' that made it one of the most desirable communities to reside and do business, Braiman said.
He said notable accomplishments under Adler include:
Establishing downtown Wilmette as the 'premier dining destination' on the North Shore
Development of the Marriott Residence Inn hotel
Attracting Wayfair's first brick-and-mortar retail store
Redevelopment of Edens Plaza
Ongoing redevelopment of Plaza del Lago
Implementation of the Village Center Master Plan, which led to the redevelopment of three key sites along the Green Bay Road Corridor.
Adler said he is especially proud to be part of developing the affordable housing project Cleland Place, guiding the adaptive reuse of the historic Mallinckrodt building as affordable senior housing, and executing the Village Center plan.
'I'm proud of whatever my little part of it was,' he said of the Village Center. 'I'm also proud of the community and the Village Board supporting different things, whether changes to liquor laws or how we treat our dining or restrictive uses on first floors during recessions. When the recession ended, we had restaurants and other businesses open.'
Adler said he is proud the village recognized the importance of sustainability, active transportation and diversity inclusion in the new comprehensive plan.
'Those were aspects of this plan that were not in previous comprehensive plans,' he said. 'I'm happy to see those elements included, furthering housing and preservation goals, trying to jumpstart areas that need a little help.'
