Lake Forest now estimates that renovating its Deerpath Road public safety building for exclusive use by the fire department will cost $13 million — higher than earlier projections.
The city plans to refurbish its longtime public safety building on the 200 block of Deerpath Road, which has housed both the police and fire departments since the 1960s. Under the plan, the fire department will remain at the site while the police department is in the process of relocating later to a previously vacant building in the Conway Park office complex.
City officials had previously estimated renovation costs for the approximately 25,000-square-foot building at $8 million, cautioning at the time that the figure could rise. That estimate has now increased to $13 million.
City Manager Jason Wicha said the previous figure was a placeholder developed before detailed design work identified issues related to the building’s age, including upgrades needed to the building’s HVAC systems.
“That was not a surprise, but it certainly escalated the cost of the project,” Wicha said in an interview.
As part of the planning process, the city formed an advisory group of residents to analyze the project, with former Mayor George Pandaleon, a retired real estate investor, serving as chairman. The group recommended substantial exterior façade changes to ensure the building aligns with the city’s architectural standards, further increasing projected costs.
“All combined to result in a more precise figure that is now included in the city’s capital plan,” Wicha said.
In a March 9 letter to Mayor Stanford Tack, Pandaleon detailed the advisory group’s work.
“In particular, the Committee focused considerable attention on the exterior improvements to ensure alignment with the City’s established aesthetics and architectural character,” Pandaleon wrote. “We believe the proposed design achieves that objective while also positioning the building for durability and longevity appropriate for a public safety facility.”
On April 1, the city’s Building Review Board recommended that the exterior changes be approved by the City Council.
In another part of the process, last August, the City Council entered into a $620,000 agreement with Wight & Co. to conduct a design analysis of the building. The firm later recommended improvements including modernized living quarters for personnel, enhanced training space, expanded vehicle bays and the updated exterior aesthetics.
Wicha said the city is working to balance fiscal responsibility with long-term planning.
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“Lake Forest works hard to contain costs on all projects while maintaining a thoughtful approach to long-term planning, which ensures completed projects stand the test of time,” he said. “It is very important for the city that we do this right.”
The project will be funded over two fiscal years using existing capital resources and will not require debt service or additional financing from residents, Wicha said.
However, drawing from reserves means fewer resources will be available for other initiatives. No specific projects have been identified for delay, but Wicha acknowledged trade-offs are inevitable.
“Obviously resources are allocated in your capital plan that requires some prioritization and so money spent on one project is not available for money spent on other projects,” he said.
The renovation comes as the city remains in negotiations for a new contract with its firefighters and paramedics. The current agreement is set to expire April 30.
“The city hopes to have a successful resolution of those negotiations as soon as possible,” Wicha said.
The timing raises concerns for John Trkla, co-founder of Lake Forest For Transparency, an “educational advocacy” group.
“The priority should be to get the personnel secured before they address the facilities,” Trkla said.
The updated renovation estimate is the latest development in the broader effort to relocate the police department. City officials, led by Tack, argued that the Deerpath building no longer meets modern policing needs. The city council approved the purchased a vacant building in the Conway Park office complex for $3.5 million and later signed off on approximately $25 million in construction contracts for the renovation. Police are expected to move into the building later this year.
Wicha sensed the makeover of the Deerpath building is expected to take about a year once the City Council approves construction contracts, which he anticipates will occur later this year following additional design work. The fire department will remain operational in the building during construction.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.