Morton Grove’s planned $250,000 Gateway Plaza near the Metra Station will break ground in the spring with a projected opening by mid-summer, according to officials, and the village is offering commemorative bricks and benches for a fee.
Those who would like their family’s or business’s history or presence in the village carved in stone can purchase a 4? x 8? brick for $125 and personalize it with a maximum of three lines, with no more than 13 characters per line. The messages will become part of the pavement of the plaza, on the south side of Lincoln Avenue between the intersection with Ferris Avenue and the tracks. The bricks are on sale through March 15.
Three commemorative benches with plaques are also available at a cost of $3,000 each.
“We’re very, very close to the final design – we expect it in the next couple of weeks,” saidCommunity Development Administrator Zoe Heidorn.
Dickson Design of Lake In the Hills is handling the blueprints while Haeger Engineering in Schaumburg is executing the civil engineering.
Complementing the bricks are bike racks that continue the racks already on site, commemorative roses that evoke a piece of Morton Grove history, native plantings in the plaza center and along Lincoln Avenue, and probably a small sculpture and light poles around the seating area, officials said.
Heidorn said 500 bricks have been requested for the initial order. Several purchases have just been confirmed with more coming, she said.
Funds from brick sales would be put back into maintenance and further development of the plaza, Heidorn said.
“I’ve received a lot of interest from residents and local organizations since the program was recently announced,” Morton Grove Mayor Dan DiMaria said. “This is a great way for folks to remember their loved ones and recognize the people and organizations that make this community so special.”
Added Village Manager Ralph Czerwinski: “Inscriptions are typically the name of the sponsor, be it a family name or family member or a business or organization name. The inscriptions can make a lasting impression of where we are, where we’ve been and where we are going, while adding personality to the project.”
Gateway Plaza is located amid a local historical area, be it the Metra station and small businesses several blocks east of Lincoln that reflect Morton Grove’s early days.
A historical highlight will be a sample of The Poehlmann Rose, a variety grown by a trio of brothers who had a Morton Grove greenhouse business, Poehlmann Brothers Co. A sample of the rose won a contest at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.
“The plaza is an excellent opportunity to feature the history of Morton Grove’s floral industry, the Poehlmann greenhouses and the award-winning Poehlmann Rose,” said DiMaria. “We are still working through the details, but we expect to install educational signage and will look for more opportunities for educational programming in the future.”
The village will be open to adding to the plaza as time moves along.
“The design lends itself to future enhancement,” said Czerwinski.
“We also anticipate future donations of public art or other features that reflect our unique people and history,” said DiMaria. “We plan to install a concrete base at the center of the main planting area so that public art may be installed in the feature. This space belongs to the public today and to future generations.”
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The property has remained empty except for the bike racks. A small rise with grass will be leveled off for the plaza, officials said.
Any previous talks to develop the property stayed in the preliminary stage.
“In the past there was some discussion regarding the realignment of the rail crossing from an angular to a perpendicular crossing,” said Czerwinski. “But the cost of such an effort was very significant.”
Metra’s planned new train station could have a minor effect on the property.
“The focus of Metra’s involvement in the area is primarily on the new train station,” Czerwinski said. “We have discussed the refinement of the fencing on the border between the Gateway Plaza and the railroad right of way.”
For more information on the commemorative brick program, visit MortonGroveil.org.