Wilmette officials OK first contracts for police-station project, provide timeline for next steps

Wilmette reached “the next major milestone” Tuesday night in the village’s largest public facility investment in five decades.

The Village Board on April 22 approved a pair of contracts for the town’s new police station. The contracts, which total just over $1.8 million, are for architectural and owner’s representative services.

The first contract trustees approved, worth $1.67 million, is with FGM Architects for design development, construction document development and procurement services for the large-scale project. The second, for $124,080, is with CCS International for owner’s representative services.

Brigitte Berger-Raish, Wilmette’s director of engineering and public works, recapped the village’s progress on the project thus far during a brief presentation to trustees. She highlighted the updated key elements of the proposed station, including the new estimated cost of $50.5 million and approximate size of 53,000 square feet.

The next steps in the project, as detailed by Berger-Raish, will come in May when FGMA presents the latest elevations to Wilmette’s Appearance Review Commission for further feedback.

In June, officials will meet to review sustainability options for the building, per Berger-Raish.

Upcoming project review will also include what Berger-Raish described as “four formal checkpoints” with the Village Board. The first of those checkpoints will come in late July when updated plans, exterior elevations and project costs are reviewed with trustees.

The second and third checkpoints will be crossed during the development of those construction documents, Berger-Raish said, noting officials will do one each at 50% and 95% completion.

A final checkpoint will come in December of this year or January of next right before the targeted goal of awarding the project’s construction contract.

Village officials noted several times throughout the meeting that one key point that still needs to be resolved is concerns brought forward by residents of the neighboring Village Green Atrium, a senior-living condominium building.

Residents again addressed the board during the public-comment portion of the meeting to voice hesitations about aspects of the updated site plan for the police station.

Village officials assured residents that they will work to find solutions as the project moves forward.

“We know we have more work to do — we have to address the concerns of the Atrium residents,” Berger-Raish said.

Similarly, Village President Senta Plunkett also committed to finding solutions.

“We’re going to continue to be working with residents of the Atrium and our architects and come up with a solution that will work and make this better,” she said. “It’s just going to take some design work and engineering work, but there will be continued conversation to make sure all these questions are answered.”

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