The recent cold has slowed renovations at La Grange’s Stone Avenue Station, but La Grange Assistant Village Manager Andrianna Peterson expects the $1 million project will still be completed by a spring deadline.
“Given the kind of early winter we’ve experienced, that has pushed them back a little bit,” Peterson said.
Unusually low temperatures have delayed roof and gutter improvements that had been slated to be finished by January, she said. But Waukegan-based Boller Construction Company accounted for weather delays in its schedule, and she expects the project to be finished by the end of May.
Old post cards and historic documents have guided the restoration of the 1901 structure, Peterson said.
“To the extent possible, we’re trying to be true to the historic aspects of the structure while also staying within budget,” she said.
A 2008 survey by Chicago-based Legat Architects showed the station and the surrounding area could use up to $4 million worth of renovations, according to a village report. The village was able to secure about $1,085,000 in grant funding for repairs, and slimmed the project to fit the budget, according to the report.
Slate, which was used on the building’s roof, proved too expensive. Crews are instead installing recycled polymeric tiles that resemble slate, Peterson said. The polymeric tiles replaced asphalt shingles that had been covering the building. The station’s roof is more than halfway completed, and the outbound shelter’s roof still needs to be renovated, she said.
Crews have completed many of the scheduled repairs to the mortar holding together the station’s limestone and brick masonry, which has worn away over years of heat, cold and moisture, she said. Across the tracks, the outbound shelter is scheduled for sandblasting and repainting.
Some of the most visible historic improvements will be on the inside of the station. There, hanging white glass globes are scheduled to replace 1970s-style rectangular fixtures that now house fluorescent lights. Peeling plaster and damaged tiles will also be fixed, helping brighten the interior, Peterson said.
The project’s structural repairs as well the aesthetic touchups will help ensure it attracts visitors well into the future, she said.
“By doing this, we’ve not only been able to enhance the appearance of the structure, but have been able to ensure it will be available for many generations to come to enjoy,” she said.
More Top Picks Best Integrated Amplifiers