Winnetka Village Council commits to moving forward with post office project

Winnetka Village President Chris Rintz shared on Tuesday that the proposed transformation of the post office property into a community space has slowed, but trustees reassured him that the project will keep progressing.

During the Village Council study session, Rintz said that the project has run into challenges after losing the design firm that had provided initial planning materials. He is also concerned about how other community issues, such as the park district’s plan to develop a portion of the beachfront, will continue to “dominate the conversation.” 

Rintz first introduced the project in 2022, explaining the history of the post office on Chestnut Street and his desire to turn the soon-to-be-vacant space into a public gathering space in the heart of downtown.

As reported by The Record, the project then took a back seat until March 2024, when the council began exploring architectural firms. Studio Gang provided the council with planning materials and visuals before the March discussion; however, Rintz said this was a misstep, and the council should have been presented with multiple design proposals. 

Studio Gang reportedly backed out after learning of the competitive nature of the project, leaving the village to continue to explore alternative architectural and design firms. 

An overwhelming portion of Rintz’s update was him expressing a lack of desire to rush this project. Rintz is terming out of office next year, and with issues such as the lakefront in the foreground, he wants to ensure that this project moves forward smoothly. 

“I just do not see a way to move this forward rapidly or in a manner that would be befitting of the project to do it piecemeal and come back to it every two or three months,” Rintz continued. “Especially when we have a divisive issue in the community that will tend to reflect in other conversations.”

Rintz does not want to rush the project before his term ends, but he expressed concerns about building a committee and getting to work just to have his seat turn over. He said it may benefit the next president to have the opportunity to steer the process.

The trustees agreed with Rintz, but expressed their support of the continuation of the project, providing Rintz with reassurance of its future. He concluded the update by saying he will move the project along on a “as can basis” and the council will continue to review architectural firms in an open session meeting. 

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