Officials from the city of North Chicago, Metra and Lake County celebrated the completion of renovations made to the North Chicago Metra station facility at a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the parking lot of the station Friday.
The $380,000 project was funded by Metra and overseen by the city.
The renovated structure provides riders a safer space in which to wait to board trains, and welcomes riders with a more pleasing aesthetic.
The building remained open during the work, which began on April 5.
Completed on June 1, the project preserves the original 1986 shelter’s modern vertical and angular design, while addressing issues that improve the station’s function, such as larger window openings that allow more natural light and provide better sightlines for passenger safety and security.
Exposed to air and sunlight for more than three decades, the shelter’s wood-sided exterior, that had become discolored with age, was replaced with fiber cement lap siding and veneer limestone siding that now makes the structure more durable in the elements.
Officials said the materials also better resist vandalism, which is a problem Metra station facilities face from time to time.
Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart spoke briefly at the event.
“I think we all remember what this looked like,” Hart said. “It was an embarrassment for us as elected officials that it existed like that for so long, and I’m so grateful for everybody working together to ensure that it’s not going to be like that anymore.”
The roof was also replaced with a standing seam metal roof and new insulation.
North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham Jr. expressed gratitude toward his staff, whom he said worked well with Metra officials to get the job done on time and under budget.
Metra Chief Operating Officer Kevin McCann said the agency isn’t only a commuter service, but a lifeline to the community. The upkeep of the station is one way the agency is taking ownership of responsibility, and fostering change and innovation.
“Metra stations like this one support residents, commuters and businesses by making communities and their employment centers more accessible, while enhancing safety, efficiency and green connectivity throughout Northeast Illinois,” McCann said.
Before officials cut the ribbon to officially mark the completion of the renovation Friday, Metra Board of Directors Vice Chair Norman Carlson shared two bits of information that drew applause from those in attendance.
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The first was that during the pandemic, Metra learned just how vital the Union Pacific North line is to Lake County, as figures show it had the highest percentage of retained ridership during the months of November and December 2020 in the entire Metra system.
“This documents to us that there are a significant number of essential workers in Lake County who are dependent on Pace and Metra,” Carlson said.
The other news that pleased the audience was that the agency has ambitious plans for the future.
“Metra has bit the apple and we’re going to try to develop the first battery-powered commuter locomotive in the country,” Carlson said. “It’s going to take a few years to get there, but we’re going to be the guinea pigs.”
Carlson said U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Deerfield, who was also in attendance, was championing the green locomotive initiative.
“What we see here is the power of working together,” Schneider said. “We also see the need to invest in our infrastructure.”
After the speeches and the ribbon-cutting, officials were welcome into the small building that houses chairs and a restroom. There, Hart discussed with Schneider what other smaller changes and upgrades could be made to the inside of the building.
The renovation project’s architect was the Gurnee-based Legat Architects Inc. Construction was performed by Integral Construction, Inc. of Romeoville.