Museum move, office consolidation gains support

A plan to spend $4.1 million for a vacant office building in Libertyville so far has gotten an enthusiastic response from Lake County Forest Preserve District commissioners.

The proposal, made public Friday, would allow the district to consolidate eight offices and eventually relocate and expand its Discovery Museum.

District officials have characterized the pending purchase of the building off Winchester Road east of Route 45 as a long-range opportunity to save money, operate more efficiently and secure higher visibility.

The plan on Monday got a thumbs up from two committees. Three more committees will discuss it Thursday in advance of a vote by the full board Feb. 9.

All who heard the presentation by Executive Director Tom Hahn agreed with the rationale that spending the money now would save in the long run.

"The real estate market is in our favor," Hahn said. "This really serves as a foundation for the future." The price for the building and nearly 7 acres amounts to about $40 per square foot, substantially less than could have been secured even a year ago, he said.

District officials during the past year toured eight other buildings in neighboring communities with prices ranging from $50 to $193 per square foot. Those were rejected as inferior locations because of poor visibility or other reasons.

That the district has been stowing away money in a facilities improvement fund for 10 years helped seal the deal, according to Hahn. None of the money raised from a successful tax hike referendum in 2008 will be used for the purchase.

"It certainly is a wonderful thing that we have the money to pay cash for it," said Susan Loving Gravenhorst, chair of the education, cultural resources and public affairs committee.

It also will cost $1.4 million to $1.9 million to prepare the building for forest district use. Some of that money has already been allocated for staff relocation and the rest would be an internal loan, Hahn said.

Hahn estimated it would cost $7 million to $12 million to rehab existing buildings for long-term use.

Buying the building would save $900,000 immediately in repairs and another $1 million over five years in operating expenses.

Motorola occupied the building until early 2008. It will be off the property tax rolls once it is purchased by the forest preserve district, but village officials think having a museum in town will bring more visitors.

"There would be ancillary benefits beyond this property tax," said Heather Rowe, Libertyville's economic development coordinator.