The Libertyville police station at 200 E. Cook Ave. has not seen significant improvements since it opened in 1997.
Daily Herald file
Two key actions this week serve as table setters for a new police facility in Libertyville.
Construction isn’t imminent but a request for proposals to design the facility coupled with approval of a lease for village offices that would be displaced as a result have moved the long-discussed idea closer to action.
On Monday, the village issued an architect request for qualifications that identifies the project as a new police station on its existing site east of downtown solely for police operations.
Submissions are due Dec. 20 and the village board may approve a design contract by the end of January.
Police would continue operating from its longtime home until a final design, expected to take about six months, is complete.
At that point, police operations will be temporarily moved during the demolition and new construction to a to-be-determined location.
The police department occupies about two-thirds of the Schertz municipal building at 200 E. Cook Ave., just east of downtown and the village’s community development department and engineering division occupy the rest.
On Tuesday, the village board unanimously approved a lease agreement with Chicago Title Land Trust to occupy a portion of the second floor of a building at 325 N. Milwaukee Ave., just south of village hall.
“It’s a great step toward what we need to do, which is get a new police station going,” said Trustee Casey Rooney.
The village will be leasing 8,739 square feet for a five-year term with an option to renew for a second term and the ability to lease additional space if it becomes available.
According to the lease, the village will reimburse the owner $330,000 for improvements to create the space. That includes creating 14 dedicated offices an improved reception area.
“We’re paying for this because we’re requiring the relocation of another tenant so they’re paying for the cost to relocate the tenant,” said Village Administrator Kelly Amidei.
Rent will be $12 a square foot or roughly $105,000 the first year with annual 50-cent per square foot increases.
Real estate taxes and operating expenses are estimated at $11.50 per square foot or about $100,000 per year.
“It makes perfect sense when there’s not a lot of space to accommodate multiple operations like this throughout the community,” said Mayor Donna Johnson.
The village for about three years has been evaluating building a new police station to replace the station with a modern facility, according to a project update.
Since 2022, the village has collected a 1/2% local sales tax and dedicated the proceeds, estimated at about $1.6 million a year, to funding the new station. Officials said the funding model is intended to remove the burden of a new police station from local property tax payers.
Revenue from the sale of the Libertyville Sports Complex properties also is being used to support the project.
Findings presented by Hezner Corp. to the village board in February 2022 showed the facilities are disjointed and don’t provide for the basic needs of a modern police department.
