Construction is scheduled to begin Oct. 28 for Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Elementary District 181’s new administration office.
The District 181 Board in June 2023 authorized the purchase of a building at 133 Ogden Ave., Hinsdale. Plans call for office occupancy in early June 2025. The lease for the district’s current space in an office building at 115 W. 55th St, Clarendon Hills, expires June 30, 2025.
The move to the new office comes after the district will have spent about eight years leasing that space, a move necessitated by increased enrollment at Elm School, the previous site of the district office. Before that, District 181 rented office space in Westmont.
Jeffrey Alstadt, District 181’s director of communications, said the building at 133 Ogden Ave. was one of many properties that was investigated over the past several years, and it was determined it was the most appropriate choice for the district offices.
“This location was within the district boundaries, had the proper zoning, was the appropriate size, provided adequate parking, needed the least amount of remodeling and had the lowest purchase price of any of the other properties being investigated,” Alstadt said.
The full purchase price of the building at 133 Ogden Ave. was $3.1 million, he said.
‘We used a purposeful drawdown of our fund balance that had been accumulated for the specific purpose of paying for the purchase of the district office and the upcoming related renovations,” Alstadt added.
He said being in the desirable western suburbs made it difficult to find a suitable and affordable property.
“(District 181) has specific requirements for its new office space,” he said. “The district needs to accommodate its staff and operations. It also requires space within our district boundaries.”
While finding a suitable place for its new offices offered challenges, Alstadt said owning its office space gives the district long-term stability and increased equity.
“As with owning a home, owning a property can serve as a stable asset for the district and ultimately the community over time,” he said.
The amount of space at the new building — 13,275 square feet over three floors — is more than the 12,000 square feet over two floors for the existing offices.
“The district (will) have more space to host districtwide meetings and improved safety protocols, since it will be the only organization in the building,” Alstadt said. “The building would also allows the district to improve internal collaboration, since multiple departments will now be able to share common areas and work in close proximity, as well as host larger staff meetings without disrupting the school environment.”
In its Clarendon Hills offices, the available space mandates that departments are located in different spaces, often making collaboration difficult, Alstadt said.
In addition, the plan for the new office layout gives the district opportunity in the future to host School Board meetings committee meetings and other meetings with the use of adjacent spaces for closed sessions and other needed functions.
Chuck Fieldman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
