Carol Stream moves on village hall addition, using reserves

Carol Stream plans to spend reserves to renovate and expand village hall, a project that could cost between $13.1 million and $15.6 million.

Though the village wouldn't seek bids from contractors until early 2017, roughly $10 million in general fund reserves already has been set aside for an addition and renovations to the building that houses both village operations and police on Gary Avenue.

The village transferred the money to its capital projects fund as part of a new budget that took effect May 1.

“As long as there are no surprises in the future, like the state of Illinois taking some of our share of revenues, we're hopeful that we can complete the project without floating any bonds,” Assistant Village Manager Robert Mellor said Tuesday.

The proposed project would demolish a portion of the existing building, excavate the ground below and build a three-level addition containing a basement, main level and second floor. The rest of the nearly 40-year-old building also would be remodeled.

With an addition, the footprint of the building would increase to roughly 60,000 square feet and provide room for new employees, architects have said. The current village hall was built in 1979 and covers 40,400 square feet.

Under village policy, Carol Stream keeps at least 25 percent of village operating expenses in general fund cash reserves. Even after earmarking the $10 million, the village projects having 30 percent of fiscal year 2017 budgeted expenses in those reserves, Finance Director Jon Batek said.

The village also could spend reserves built up in the capital projects fund. In addition, Batek expects a nearly $2.2 million budget surplus in fiscal year 2017.

“At this point, there's no plans or discussion of any debt to finance the project,” said Batek, noting that the village is still a “year off from construction bidding.”

On Monday, trustees awarded a contract to Williams Architects to begin in-depth designs. The village would pay the Itasca-based firm 7.75 percent of construction-only costs.

Under the agreement, the village also would spend $358,800 to split construction into two phases to allow village employees to work in one part of the building while other areas are renovated.

But the village is still considering another option that would completely relocate village operations and police out of the building. That means the addition and other improvements could be done more quickly, Mellor said.

“We have to weigh the cost of renting another facility and the moving costs versus the extra costs for phasing the project,” Mellor said.

That decision will come into clearer focus with the help of a “cost consultant” and construction manager, Mellor said. Village staff members now will seek proposals from firms and bring their choices to the board for approval. A construction manager would hire subcontractors, schedule the work and help plan the layout of the addition, among other logistics.

The building has been largely untouched since a roughly $1.5 million project in 2003 that remodeled the main lobby, village board room and some areas of the police department.

“It's not a simple project,” Mellor said of the latest plans. “This will definitely be the biggest renovation that we've done.”

Construction could begin by late winter 2017. If done in two phases, the project would be substantially complete by the summer 2018.