Arlington Heights picks temporary police headquarters
The Arlington Heights Police Department will be moving into a temporary headquarters as soon as May on the far north side of town while construction of a new $27.9 million police station takes place downtown.
The village board Monday approved a two-year lease with YPI Arlington LLC for portions of the first and third floors in the One North Arlington building at 1500 W. Shure Drive, near Route 53 and Dundee Road. Arlington Heights will pay $21,896.88 in monthly rent, or about $525,000 over the course of the lease, which includes a three-month option.
The department will occupy roughly 2,300 square feet of the first floor, where a front desk will be staffed 24/7, and 12,500 square feet of the third floor.
A total of 18 sites throughout town were considered, but a number of locations were ruled out because of high lease rates, the cost to make interior improvements and poor visibility, village officials said. Some property owners who were approached also said they weren't interested.
An internal committee made site visits last October, November and December to eight locations they deemed feasible, before they started negotiating a letter of intent for the Shure Drive building.
Village officials said it's the easiest and fastest location where Comcast can install secure data lines, which can be done in the next one or two months; it offers a large amount of parking; and there's sufficient office space.
The committee rejected the idea of using temporary trailers, village hall, or a prefabricated building at the public works annex.
The village budgeted $2.2 million for the temporary relocation, moving expenses, rent and other miscellaneous costs.
Last month, the village board formally approved plans for the new two-level, 70,500-square-foot police station that will replace the existing 38-year-old station at 200 E. Sigwalt St.
The estimated 18-month construction period is anticipated to begin in May or June.