Geneva City Council OKs $99,500 for facilities study

GENEVA – Geneva alderpersons voted unanimously June 5 to recommend a contract for $99,500 for a facilities study of its buildings such as City Hall, the police department, public works and the two fire stations.

FGM Architects, with offices in cities including Chicago and Oak Brook, was the recommended bid, City Administrator Stephanie Dawkins said.

Six qualified firms responded, three finalists were selected for interviews, and FGM was the preferred firm, Dawkins said.

“As you are aware, the city has many challenges with its facilities related to age, functionality and inadequate space,” Dawkins said. “As part of the FY 2024 budget process, a Facilities Master Plan was recommended to take the complicated totality of circumstances into consideration, provide alternatives and recommendations with cost estimates and ultimately a multiyear Facilities Master Plan.”

The architectural firm is expected to have a plan ready for review in the coming months.

“August was a little bit aggressive based on potentially getting to you guys last month for approval,” David Yandel of FGM Architects said. “I think in the most recent proposal, we might have asked for September. … If everything goes smoothly and we can get through the facilities in that time frame, we do have a process that we’ve used extensively that we feel is going to be appropriate for this project.”

Yandel cited the company’s other work, such as a new police station and Village Hall facility for Cary.

“We’re currently working with the village of Downers Grove after an extensive study and site analysis to relocate their Village Hall and police department,” Yandel said. “We’re now doing a joint facility in their downtown.”

Yandel said the firm is almost 80 years old and has done more than 600 fire stations in Illinois and hundreds of police stations and other public works facilities.

“And we bring that expertise,” Yandel said. “We’ve surrounded your community with similar facilities and we’re excited to be back here in Geneva. … We were responsible for the design of the two fire stations here in town.”

The firm also designed two elementary schools in Geneva – Williamsburg and Fabyan.

The project architect who will lead the effort will be Jason Estes, who lives locally, Yandel said.

The final plan will include whether a facility needs to be upgraded, expanded or built new, Yandel said.

“You’ve got this great opportunity with the two sites here now,” Yandel said, referring to the city’s purchase of the former library building next door. “We’re super, super excited about exploring, as well as an opportunity for maybe a new police station.”

Yandel said the facilities plan would identify immediate high-priority needs and short-term and long-term goals for health and safety and access for all.

Second Ward Alderperson Richard Marks said a previous facilities review showed “we really don’t have access to a lot of our buildings for handicapped accessibility.”

“It just did not exist in the ages of the buildings we’re dealing with,” Marks said. “It’s a big step for the city, you can imagine, and it’s going to have people on both side of the issue.”

City Hall was built in 1912. The newest facility – the East Side Fire Station – was built in 2003, 17 years ago.

Mayor Kevin Burns said all the city’s facilities “require either wholesale improvements, including but not limited to new facilities and/or enhancements to existing facilities.”

“Monday’s unanimous decision to move forward with FGM and develop a comprehensive facilities plan is a positive step toward achieving our strategic goal of continuing to provide excellent city services by enhancing the very buildings in which our professional staff carry out their duties day in and day out,” Burns said.

All the public services have evolved, Burns said.

“The fire service has changed. We need facilities to accommodate both men and women,” Burns said. “And full ADA access.”

As to the possibility of a new police station, Burns said he would prefer it be built on South Street on a site the city already owns.

Any new building would require voter approval by referendum, Burns said.

“This is the first step,” Burns said of the architectural firm doing the facilities study.

“The second step would be engaging the public on why these improvements are needed and that’s why it ties into the strategic plan – to provide excellent city services,” Burns said. “We are precariously close to jeopardizing that strategic goal based on conditions of and the long-term use of those facilities.”

The City Council will take final action on the contract with FGM Architects.