The Geneva City Council in Illinois has adopted an approximately $138.9 million facilities master plan, setting in motion comprehensive efforts to renovate and replace outdated buildings with modern facilities.
The plan outlines projects to modernize obsolete public buildings, targeting Geneva City Hall, public works facility, fire stations and police stations. These structures are severely aged and undersized, no longer possessing the capacity or flexibility needed to meet the city’s needs, according to city officials. Capital improvements planned to bring the sites back up to standard include:
- Expanded infrastructure and space.
- Enhanced accessibility.
- Improved security and safety.
While the master plan has been approved, the city council is still weighing their options for development before any projects officially get underway. Among these, the downtown police department has multiple potential alternatives, primarily focused on building a new facility redeveloping the existing one into either a private mixed-use development or a parking structure.
One of the options for a new 45,000 square foot police station would feature dedicated spaces for records and administration, patrol and investigations, evidence processing and storage, training, staff support and detention. The site may also include indoor parking, a drive-through sally port and an indoor firing range. A second alternative may be attached to a new city hall.
For city hall, Geneva is looking at emphasizing accessible spaces, right-sized council chambers, more meeting spaces and incorporating the finance department into the building layout. With plans in place to move city hall to a new location, the existing building may be adapted as a historical facility and the library renovated for adaptive reuse.
With the combined city hall and police station as one alternative, the city council also listed four potential options for the combined city hall and library structure. These options include:
- Adapting the existing library for city hall functions and renovating the existing City Hall for other community uses.
- Renovating a part of the library for city hall uses, adding a surface parking lot to the north and renovating the existing city hall.
- Building a city hall addition to replace the library, renovating city hall, building an accessible entrance and civic plaza and adding a parking lot to the west.
- Renovating city hall, restoring the historic portion of the library, adding an addition with accessible entrances and building a downtown civic plaza.
Several changes are on the way for the two fire stations listed in the master plan. The first station is in very good condition and would receive system and security improvements, renovated staff spaces, an enhanced decontamination zone and enclosed access to the lower level. Fire Station 2 would also require an entirely new building, including the addition of drive-through apparatus bays, offices and meeting space, staff support rooms, enhanced accessibility, a sustainable design and a storm shelter. The existing station would be demolished.
The existing public works building is severely outdated and does not meet numerous current codes. Renovations to the building will involve improvements to the MEP/FP system, security, roadway and accessibility and staff support rooms including the office, meeting, locker, break, vehicle maintenance facility and storm shelter spaces.
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