New clubhouse coming to Oak Meadows in Addison
DuPage Forest Preserve District commissioners unanimously approved building a public clubhouse and visitor center at The Preserve at Oak Meadows in Addison.
Commissioners approved hiring Pepper Construction Company as the construction manager to deliver the project for a "guaranteed maximum price contract" of $12.6 million or less.
Work is scheduled to begin this month and be completed by September 2020.
The one-story clubhouse will feature an 18,018-square-foot building with a restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating areas, a multipurpose event room with an outdoor terrace, a pro shop, locker rooms, kitchen and office space.
The clubhouse design is a reinterpretation of midcentury modern architecture with angled flat roofs, transition spaces to blend the inside and outside, and large expanses of windows to feature views of the course.
Environmentally-friendly features of the building include a green roof, bird-safe glass to reduce the number of birds flying into windows, sustainably sourced wood, LED light systems, and compliance with ComEd's energy efficiency program.
As part of the project, commissioners approved installing a solar power system on the cart storage building at The Preserve at Oak Meadows. The solar arrays will produce enough electricity to fully power the facility's 75 golf carts, making The Preserve the first golf course in the U.S. with a fully solar-powered golf cart fleet.
"I am thrilled by the enhancement of this project through solar power," said Forest Preserve District President Daniel Hebreard.
"The new building will be a terrific venue for events ranging from golf outings to education programs, and the solar arrays support our organization's mission of conservation for all who visit The Preserve."
The district acquired the former Elmhurst Country Club in 1985, and the original 50,000-square-foot clubhouse was destroyed by fire in 2009.
After the fire, there was a public call to immediately replace the clubhouse, but Executive Director Ed Stevenson said he first wanted to address chronic flooding problems, improve environmental conditions, and address aging infrastructure on the property's landscape before committing to replacing a building.
The Preserve at Oak Meadows underwent a major two-year restoration project to improve stormwater management and water quality for Salt Creek, enhance habitat for fish and other aquatic species, and create a premier 18-hole public golf destination. It reopened for a brief preview season in late summer 2017 and had a full grand-opening season in 2018.
The property was reconfigured to reduce flooding in nearby communities by holding an additional 20 million gallons of stormwater from Salt Creek during flood events, while minimizing flood damage to the course.
Only 15% of the 288 acres is dedicated to fairways, greens and teeing areas, and the number of holes was reduced from 27 to 18. In addition, the project created 25 acres of wetlands and 43 acres of riparian habitat, and restored 13 acres along the Salt Creek corridor to improve water quality and plant and animal diversity.