Mount Prospect studies new digs
The Mount Prospect village board Tuesday considered a new fire station, an emergency center and a revamp of its public works department -- projected in total to cost about $13 million -- as part of a villagewide facility study.
The study looked at Fire Station No. 14 at 2000 E. Kensington Road, expansion of the village's public works department at 1700 W. Central Road and the creation of a dedicated site for an emergency center.
SRBL Architects gave the board various recommendations and projected costs to address the village's needs.
The board did not make a decision based on the report but will consider its options.
Trustee Paul Hoefert commented he'd be supportive of an emergency center, especially due to the storm that ripped through the area last summer.
"We faced a situation last August and … it was difficult at the time due to the lack of facilities and it taught us we needed to do that sort of thing," Hoefert said.
The firm recommended moving and expanding Fire Station 14 on property west of the current station, which currently is used by the River Trails Park District and the River Trails School District 26, which appear to be willing to lease the property to the village, Mount Prospect Fire Chief Michael J. Figolah said. To do this, a baseball diamond would have to be relocated for the school district, which would cost the village about $200,000, village officials said.
If the village decides to follow the recommendation, the fire station property could be turned that into an above-ground detention pond, Figolah said.
The total cost is estimated to be almost $8.6 million.
For the creation of an emergency center, where police and fire officials can coordinate during a major village-wide emergency, SRBL gave the village two options. The village could construct the center as an addition to the public works building at 1700 W. Central Road, or build it as an addition to Fire Station 12 on Golf Road. The current center is located at the police and fire building at 112 E. Northwest Highway.
The cost is estimated to be about $2.1 million.
The revamp the public works department -- which includes new wash bays for fire vehicles, security updates, modernization of fuel pumps and a new emergency generator -- will cost almost $2.3 million.
The presentation was considered Phase I of a larger review of the village's facilities. The firm also will be looking at the village's police and fire administration space needs, which is expected to be presented in November.