The town of New Chicago hopes to transform the vacant American Legion Post 484 into its new town hall.
The town is accepting requests for proposals on the renovation of the former Legion building at 3139 Michigan St. until 1 p.m. March 20. So far, town manager Sue Pelfrey said the town hasn’t received any proposals.
Originally, New Chicago had partnered with the Hobart Township Trustee’s office to demolish its old town hall at 122 Huber Blvd. and build a new town-township complex on the site.
Those plans were scrapped a year ago after Hobart Township Trustee Fred Williams cited higher than anticipated costs for the project and pulled out of the interlocal agreement.
Hobart Mayor Josh Huddleston agreed with the move, saying it wasn’t equitable to Hobart taxpayers.
Williams complained the project was behind schedule and its costs swelled from about $4 million to $6.5 million.
New Chicago town manager Sue Pelfrey launched the project because its 100-year-old town hall sustained several roof leaks and its masonry was crumbling. The two-story building also doesn’t have an elevator.
Her plan called for the demolition of the old town hall, but that also stalled when the interlocal plan fell apart.
Town water department clerks and other workers along with the police department relocated last November to vacant River Forest Elementary after school officials offered to let the town use the school until its complex was built.
Pelfrey said Thursday the town needs to vacate the school in June.
Pelfrey said the town is now on its own as it turns to renovating the former Legion building it purchased for $285,000. She said the town purchased the building with its American Rescue Fund Act money. The Lake County Council provided $400,000 for remodeling.She said the renovation would be a public/private partnership known as a BOT or build, operate, transfer plan.
Pelfrey said the clerk, police and water departments would be housed in the renovated building.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.