Village of Shorewood breaks ground on new public works facility

Construction on a new public works facility for the village of Shorewood will begin in August, according to a news release from the village.

The village anticipates the new 71,000-square foot facility on Mound Road will be completed in 2022. A groundbreaking ceremony was held July 24, the village said in the release.

The project will cost nearly $15 million for the facility, which will “consolidate operations of the public works department” and “provide more efficient service delivery,” the village said in the release.

The police department, Troy Fire Protection District and Western Will County Communication Center will also be served on this property, the village said in the release.

The new public works project will also include various landscape elements. This includes native plantings, monarch waystations and the establishment of a tree farm to grow saplings. Once the saplings mature, they can be used on public property, the village said in the release.

The public works department currently occupies seven parcels in the Tax Increment Finance District. However, once the new facility is completed, those parcels will be available for redevelopment, the village said in the release.

The site of the new facility is owned by the village and already has a “water tower, well treatment plant, salt dome and telecommunications tower” the release said. There is also room on the site for a future building addition within the outdoor storage yard, the village said in the release.

“This project has been contemplated by the village for many years due to the inadequacy of the numerous locations from which public works operates,” Mayor CC DeBold said in the release. “In order to fund this project, the village is issuing debt at a highly competitive true interest rate of 1.78% which was made possible by maintaining our AA+ bond rating. The low interest rate allows the village to more efficiently use public funds to construct a facility that allows future growth while facilitating redevelopment opportunities in the TIF District.”

For information about the public works facility, contact Public Works Director Noriel Noriega at 815-553-2323 or nnoriega@vil.shorewood.il.us.

For information about the redevelopment, contact Economic Development Director Kelley Chrisse at 815-741-7708 or kchrisse@vil.shorewood.il.us.