Glen Ellyn to discuss proposals for new police station
Glen Ellyn officials and an architectural firm are expected Monday to unveil an updated facility needs analysis for the police department and civic center.
The consultant, Virginia-based Dewberry, originally was hired by the village in 2011. Its space needs analysis study found significant deficiencies in the amount of space in the police department and village offices at the three-story Glen Ellyn Civic Center at 535 Duane St.
The building was constructed in 1929 to serve as a school and was purchased from Glen Ellyn Elementary District 41 in 1970 for use as a village hall.
The analysis of the building’s limitations led officials to consider moving the police department to a new location. One proposal is to build a station on the current site of the park district’s Spring Avenue Recreation Center.
Dewberry’s study, presented to the board in July 2012, produced four conceptual designs offered as potential solutions. In September 2013 the village again contracted with Dewberry for modifications to two of the four designs, to provide options both at the civic center and Panfish Park, where the village owns property that potentially could support a new police station.
Here’s a look at the four updated plans:
타 The first plan revisits an earlier proposal to build a 10,500-square-foot, one-story addition on the south side of the civic center for police use. The intent is to repurpose the civic center with minimal expansion to the existing building footprint.
The focus is on improving public access to the police department. The plan lacks a firing range, reduces civic center parking and does not address access and security elements. The estimated cost is $13.5 million.
타 The second plan removes the 1940s gymnasium and the 1970s addition, returning the civic center to the original shallow, linear school building. A 37,000-square-foot addition would be built on the south side of the building specifically for police use. The plan meets many programming needs but would not address security issues, access, and further reduces parking. The estimated cost is $16.4 million.
타 The third plan calls for a new 37,000-square-foot police facility at Panfish Park. The building and required parking are positioned on property owned by the village. The estimated cost is between $13.4 million and $17.5 million.
타 The fourth plan calls for a 37,000-square-foot police facility at the Spring Avenue Recreation Center location on the site of the existing Glen Ellyn Park District facility.
The park district is conducting a dual facility study to determine if operations of the Spring Avenue Recreation Center and Main Street Recreation Center could be consolidated and, if so, whether one of the buildings should be closed. The estimated cost is between $14.4 million and $18.6 million.
“There have been some additional options and we will clarify those, with part of the focus of the discussion on updated estimates for project costs for all four alternatives,” Village Manager Mark Franz said.
Franz said that part of the discussion will center on the process moving forward, and to determine if more analysis is needed for how the project would be funded.
The village board will discuss the proposals at 7 p.m. Monday at the civic center.