The Wilmette Village Board received a report, after years of consideration, outlining the needs for its aging police station.
The report is the first step in an eight-to-10-month long process before recommendations are brought before the board this fall, according to Village Manager Michael Braiman. The “long overdue” project has been under consideration by the village for two decades with the most substantial effort being stalled by the 2008 recession.
“It may end up being one of our largest public works projects that the village ever undertakes,” Braiman said.
The current station was completed in 1968 with an addition done in 1986. No improvements have been made to the building since.
FGM Architects Vice President Ray Lee presented the firm’s study of the current police station and outlined what would be needed in the new building. He estimates the building footprint will need to increase to 60,500 square feet from the current 20,401 square feet to accommodate the growing department. A further eight officers and three civilian positions are likely to be needed, according to Lee.
Some of the needs recommended by FGMA include a larger lobby with private citizen report rooms, a training and operations center with space for up to 60 people, two juvenile holding rooms, indoor garage space for evidence and police vehicles, a revamped dispatch center with appropriate space for four positions, an up-to-standard cellblock and additional interview and social worker space.
Estimates for the project range from $53 to $55 million, not including land acquisition. The village will probably need to explore new site options as the building’s current site can’t accommodate the size FGMA recommends. Footprint sizes range from 3 to 4.4 acres depending on how many levels are designed and built in the new station.
Trustee Gina Kennedy said because the village is so developed, it will likely be difficult to find a location.
“Right now this is a study, it’s paper,” Lee said. “It is a decision we’re going to have to work through with you to make sure that in the end, you have to be confident in the choices that you make.”
The village plans to hire another third party in March to look over FGMA’s plans and give further feedback on how to move forward. Braiman said the Public Safety Committee will include land acquisition in its recommendations when they are brought before the board in the fall.
From here, the question becomes what the new station will require and what will be considered optimal for extending the longevity of the building’s use.
“I think we have an exceptional police department and I don’t think our space accepts or supports an exceptional police department,” said Trustee and Chair of the Public Safety Committee Kate Gjaja.
A better station will also help the village to retain officers and encourage new recruits, said Braiman.
“It’s really difficult to find individuals interested in a police career,” he said. “When they are interested and they start looking at departments and they walk through our station, it’s not the most inviting ‘come here, work with us for the next 30 years’ sign we could put up.”
The village hopes to bring on an architect for design by the end of the year with construction bids out by the end of 2025. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2026 and wrap up in 2027.