Proposed study to look at future of Elmhurst police station

Elmhurst City Council's public affairs and safety committee is recommending approval of plans to spend $43,400 to study the functional and space needs of the city's 27-year-old police station.

Police Chief Michael Ruth said the station - built before computers were used in the facility and before passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act - is becoming outdated.

He told the committee the station's air-conditioning system has broken down and its heating system is nearing the end of its useful life. The cost to replace both systems, he said, would be roughly $1.3 million.

There also are concerns, he said, about security because the station lags behind in current technology. "We need to get cameras in the cells," Ruth said.

In addition, he talked about the difficulty of bringing prisoners from lock up to the investigations area using a spiral staircase and expressed concerns that the station's evidence storage area is at more than 80 percent capacity.

But Alderman Scott Levin, who serves as committee chairman, said the building isn't that old.

'Twenty-seven years doesn't seem all that long,' he said.

Alderman Danee Polomsky wondered if some of the problems could have resulted from the shortsightedness of previous city councils.

"Are some of these design flaws a result of council saying, 'Let's cut this?'" she asked.

The city reviewed proposals from eight architectural firms for the space study; narrowed the field to four; and finally selected FGM of Oak Brook to do the work.

Public Works Director Howard Killian said FGM will compare the existing space and function of the police station to national standards and make recommendations to either renovate, expand or completely replace the existing facility.

The committee agreed to move forward with the study.

"I think we have to proceed and do it," Levin said. "You guys seem like you've done a very careful evaluation process."

The proposal will be presented to the full council on Aug. 7 for a first reading and then on Aug. 21 for a final vote. If it receives council approval, the study should be completed by mid-November, Killian said.