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Glenview approves new development, fire station for construction
Glenview firefighter paramedic Brian Render chops vegetables in preparation for that night's dinner inside the kitchen of fire station six. A new downtown development project will include tearing down the old station and rebuilding in a new location. | Mi
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Updated: January 21, 2013 2:04PM
GLENVIEW — The timetable has been set for a new retail and apartment development in downtown Glenview.
The four-story complex with 139 rental units will be on the south side of Glenview Road between Pine and Church streets where the developer — Trammel Crow in Oakbrook — has bought four land parcels.
Headquarters for Fire Station 6 is on one of the parcels, but will now be demolished to make way for the development.
Trammel Crow purchased the station property from the village for $2.5 million, and plans are underway for building a new station headquarters directly south of Village Hall on 1225 Waukegan Road.
Village trustees approved the deal Dec. 11.
Constructing the mixed-use complex is set for June 2013 with occupancy in September 2014.
The development would not be in a TIF district, and monthly apartment rents with one- and two-bedrooms will be set between $1,500-$2,000, said John Carlson, a senior associate for Trammel Crow.
The new fire station headquarters will break ground in September 2013 and be completed in March 2014.
Village staff estimated a $4.7 million price tag for constructing the station.
Fire Chief Wayne Globerger said Metra and Amtak trains often delayed emergency responders coming from the current station going west on Glenview Road.
“We’d get stuck a lot there. With the new facility, now we’ll have the Lake Street alternative heading west,” Globerger said.
The former Glenview Park District building will provide office space for the new station garage with 2 ½ truck bays.
“Considering any new firefighting technology for the station is budget-driven, which is tight right now.” Globerger said.
The existing facility — built in 1974 — needed an estimated $375,000 in new repairs, he said, such as a boiler, heating and air conditioning, water pipes, windows and flooring
“A 40-year-old station is pushing it,” said Globerger, who has been with the department for 25 years and chief since 2005.
Before the land purchase, in early December village officials and Globerger met with downtown residents concerned with fire sirens.
Deputy Fire Chief Ralph Ensign said the downtown station received about 20 emergency calls per day, whereas after 10 p.m. they dropped to two or three.
“We have five fire stations, so we’re not new at this. We’re aware of neighborhood concerns, but three of our five stations are in neighborhoods,” Globerger added.
“We’ve never had an issue with neighborhoods in my 25 years here.”
Globerger also said fire trucks would exit onto Waukegan Road and when returning enter a south drive to avoid backing into the station and disrupting traffic.
During the station’s construction, firefighters could be temporarily housed in a vacant car dealership near downtown.
Plans also called for no increase in exterior property lighting because the new station will share the existing Village Hall parking lot.
