Palatine library branch moving to Hoffman Estates park facility
The board of library trustees of the Palatine Public Library District and the board of commissioners of the Hoffman Estates Park District are pleased to announce the signing of an agreement to house a branch library on the lower level of the park district's Willow Recreation Center, 3600 Lexington Drive, Hoffman Estates.
The library currently operates a branch in 1,925 square feet of leased space located in a retail center at 1262 Freeman Road in Hoffman Estates. On July 13, 2011, the landlord for that center notified the library board that the property had gone into foreclosure a few days earlier and was now owned by a bank.
Since then the library has continued to lease the Freeman Road site from the owning bank. While continuing to occupy the space, library officials explored options for other potential branch locations within the Hoffman Estates service area.
As the area is highly residential, finding feasible alternate locations proved to be a challenge. Library staff inquired about space at the Rose Plaza on Palatine Road but learned that those properties were also in foreclosure and current asking prices for rent were cost-prohibitive. Representatives of a shopping center on Algonquin Road contacted the library; however, that property falls outside the library's service area.
Early in August, at the suggestion of park district Commissioner Lili McGovern, Dean Bostrom, executive director of the Hoffman Estates Park District, contacted library director Susan Strunk to discuss the possibility of leasing space for a branch library at the Willow Recreation Center.
Library staff and trustees visited the building shortly thereafter and determined that a 1,248 square foot Activity Room could meet the needs of the library in providing a branch for the Hoffman Estates service area.
Library Director Susan Strunk said, “While we knew that a change in location of the branch could be a concern for some residents, we recognized that the opportunity to partner with another governmental unit would maximize the use of tax dollars and would contribute to the sustainability of a branch library in the Hoffman Estates service area.”
“We are always open to exploring potential new intergovernmental partnerships and with the Activity Room being an underutilized space within Willow Recreation Center it turned out to be a win-win situation for both agencies,” said Dean Bostrom, Hoffman Estates Park District executive director.
The park district and library worked together over a period of weeks to negotiate the lease agreement. Both entities approached the process with a mindset to create an arrangement that would be favorable to both parties and that would ultimately be beneficial to the constituents of both entities.
Park district board President Keith Evans further elaborated “that this intergovernmental agreement will provide additional exposure to residents of the programs and services offered by both agencies.”
“The board of library trustees has given careful consideration while seeking to resolve the challenge resulting from the foreclosure of the Freeman Road Branch building. We all agree that this opportunity to work with the Hoffman Estates Park District is the best solution for maintaining service to our North Hoffman patrons,” said Jill Jensen, president of the library board of trustees.
The library district will lease the recreation center space at an annual cost of $31,200 inclusive. This amount is approximately $14,000 less per year than the most recent lease and utility costs to operate the space on Freeman Road. The lease term is three years.
The branch located at 1262 Freeman Road will close at the end of the day on Saturday, Oct. 22, and will reopen at the new location in early November. The hours of operation for the new location have not yet been determined and will be released as soon as they are determined.