Elk Grove spending $8.3 million to buy land for public works building
Elk Grove Village will spend nearly $8.3 million to buy land for a new public works building.
The village board last week approved agreements to purchase Berthold's Floral, Gift and Garden Center and neighboring Elk Grove TV and Audio Service on the 400 block of East Devon Avenue.
Both longtime local businesses will be closing, though Don Evans, who owns the electronics repair shop, plans to relocate in the village this fall, according to post on the business' Facebook page.
The new public works building to be located on the roughly 10-acre property is just one part of the village's $110 million infrastructure plan called "Elk Grove 2025." The new building will replace an outdated facility built in 1960 on 3.7 acres at 600 Landmeier Road. The building has served as village hall, police station, courthouse and fire station.
Mayor Craig Johnson has sought to dispel rumors that the village had forced both businesses to close. During a village meeting last Monday, Johnson said both business owners were "willing sellers."
"A lot of innuendos and rumors are flying around the village," Johnson said.
In the Facebook post, Elk Grove TV and Audio Service blamed increasing property taxes in Cook County for the closure.
Berthold's sold for $7.5 million, and the electronics shop sold for $790,000.
The garden center at Berthold's will close Friday, June 30, and the gift shop July 31. The electronic repair shop will close Saturday, July 1, according to the Facebook post.
It is anticipated that construction of the new building will begin early this fall with occupancy in early 2019. While the building is still in the design phase, it will consist of approximately 20,000 square feet of office space for 65 employees and nearly 70,000 square feet of garage, shop and storage area for the village's 110 pieces of equipment.
It will also be home to a 2,500-ton salt barn and a fueling station, which will also be used by the Northwest Suburban Municipal Joint Action Water Agency.
The Elk Grove 2025 program also includes spending $6.6 million to renovate the public works garage at 1635 Biesterfield Road.