Morton Grove residents will have an opportunity to weigh in later this summer on plans for a new $30 million village hall and police station.
Village administrator Chuck Meyer told Pioneer Press Leopardo Construction has been secured as the village’s construction manager and is currently pricing out construction needs. Meanwhile, FGM Architects has created a rendering. They are working closely with Leopardo and village staff in making “hundreds of little decisions” on the design and construction process of the new village hall and police station at 6701 Dempster Street.
The village purchased the Fifth Third Bank building and its surrounding 1.67 acres for $1.4 million in December 2024 and will take full ownership and possession of the property on July 1, after bank staff move into their new building across the street.
Initial renovation plans for the building are expected to be presented at a village board meeting in May, and public hearings will follow in July.
“The biggest item is we’re going to have public hearings for our own entitlement,” Meyer said, adding plans will go before the appearance and plan commissions for special use approvals. “We want to make sure we’re following our own guidelines, ensuring there’s enough parking, being respectful to our neighbors, and holding ourselves to the same standard as anyone else.”
Current plans, Meyer said, include adding a 14,000-square-foot addition for a new police department on the south end of the building, while the north end of the building will be remodeled to accommodate administrative offices and public conference rooms. The first floor will include counters and open work spaces for the finance and building divisions, making it “more transparent and a lot easier to interact with the public,” he said. A new council chamber for meetings that is modern and more usable is also planned for the first floor.
“We’ll have a room that our residents appreciate and be able to come to address their leadership,” he said. The second floor will include offices for village, police, and community development administrators, as well as staff break rooms and conference spaces. He said village staff, who have been involved in the process, are excited about plans for the new village hall, which will offer more functionality for 75 members of the police department and 15 administrative staffers.
“Since 1980, our police department and staff have operated in a building meant to be a ‘temporary’ facility while providing unparalleled service to our residents,” Mayor Janine Witko said in an email statement to Pioneer Press. “Our police department has become a leader in the region for police operations, and this building will help us create a space that matches our staff’s capabilities. With this new opportunity, we are able to move our staff into a more centrally located and modern facility. We are excited to have our residents see the new renderings of the Village Hall and Police Department as we go through the public hearing process later this summer.”
In April, village leaders met with state legislators in Springfield to garner financial support for the project, Meyer said. Village leaders plan to leverage the village’s fund balance for most of the project, but did request $3 million in state funding for the renovation. Meyer confirmed there are no plans for a referendum to fund the project. He expects construction to begin sometime next year with an opening of the new village hall and police station near the end of 2028.
“We’re being fiscally responsible,” Meyer said, “and we’ll have a facility that residents will be proud of.”
Elizabeth Owens-Schiele is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
