Tuesday, February 27, 2024 | View in browser
9th Ward News & Office Hours
Civic Center Move and How We Got Here
One of the first items I remember being discussed when I joined City Council in the spring of 2022 was the idea of temporarily moving out of the Civic Center to office space downtown due to the deteriorating condition of the building. Some of the many serious issues facing the current building include: a failing and outdated HVAC system, a leaking roof, old windows, inadequate electrical service, poor indoor air quality, and security issues.
The building is not in compliance with the ADA or modern building codes, and it does not meet our own standards for Climate Action. The Civic Center is valued at $10 million. If the City were to spend more than $5 million on renovations, we would be required to bring the entire building into compliance, incurring even more costs.
Because of the locations of the bathrooms and elevators, a phased renovation while remaining in the building is not feasible. We must move City operations, whether we renovate the current Civic Center, construct a new building, or lease office space long-term. This move out of the Civic Center is long overdue; we cannot wait until the building is rendered unusable to make this move.
In 2007, citizens voted in a referendum to remain in the current Civic Center. Citizens did not vote for a subsequent referendum to renovate the building, and City Councils before now also deferred making decisions to help maintain our facilities. This Council is committed to doing better.
Lease Term Length
Some residents have questioned why we are looking at a 15-year lease. We required several non-negotiable characteristics in any building we were considering:
- Contiguous space
- Easily accessible/approachable
- Street-level public service desk
- Single location (i.e., didn't want a Council Chamber at one location, a service desk at another, and staff at a third)
These requirements limited our consideration to only three available buildings in downtown Evanston. 909 Davis St. proved to meet all of our requirements and was the least expensive option, along with not requiring any upfront cost until 2026. The lease we signed for 15 years has a 7-year opt-out provision that allows us to pay a penalty and leave sooner than 15 years. We also have the ability to sublease the space which would incur no fee.
- If we stay for the entire 15 years, the cost will be $37,428,638
- If we op-out after 7 years, it will cost us $22,756,302 (including early termination penalty, assuming no sublease)
- If we had signed a lease for 10 years, the lease would have cost us $28,676,997 (this offer didn’t include any opt-out provision)
The soonest we would be in either a renovated or new building is realistically at least 5 ½ to 7 years from now, taking into account the time needed for community engagement, gathering bids, and ultimately, completing construction.
Possible Options for Future Facilities
Our Police and Fire Headquarters are also in need of major renovations. We will consider the following options (and possibly more) in the months and years to come:
- Renovating the Civic Center and Police and Fire Headquarters separately in their current locations
- Combining the Civic Center and Police and Fire Headquarters facilities at a renovated and expanded 2100 Ridge Ave. location
- Building a new combined facility for all functions at a location downtown
- Building a new Police and Fire Headquarters (in current or a new location) and renting space for Civic Center operations
All options have large price tags, and it is our intent to engage residents before making this decision. We are estimating that it will take 6-9 months to gather the appropriate public feedback upfront. I urge everyone to check out the options in greater detail here: Relocation Feasibility Study.
Regardless of the outcome, there are two things I am committed to:
- Lorraine H. Morton should continue to be honored wherever our seat of government is.
- Ingraham Park needs to stay both City property and a park (it’s the best part of the current Civic Center campus). Outside of those two certainties, my mind is not made up, and I truly want input from the community.
Office Hours
Stop by office hours at Reprise Roasters on Friday, March 8 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
 New Community Center coming soon...
The Parks & Recreation Department is busy getting the newly acquired community center, formerly known as Little Bean's Cafe, ready to provide an expanded range of programs, focusing on special recreation, gymnastics offerings, and special events. The building will also serve as a temporary location for the Evanston Ecology Center, while it undergoes renovations.
Over the past few weeks, staff have begun to plan and develop new programs, clean the facility, and select paint colors. The new community center will be unveiled in the coming months. Stay tuned for updates!
 Renovations at the Evanston Ecology Center
The Evanston Ecology Center will undergo significant renovations beginning in March, coinciding with the celebration of its 50th anniversary. The renovations are expected to be completed in October 2024.
During the renovation period, the Ecology Center will be temporarily closed. Ecology Center activities and programming will relocate to alternative Parks and Recreation facilities. Learn more.
Juan Geracaris
Councilmember, 9th Ward
jgeracaris@cityofevanston.org, 847-868-2197
Instagram: @9thWardJuan
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