Village Approves $250K Parking Lot Expansion

The price tag to expand the parking lot at Village Hall will come to $257,000.

The project would expand the lot by 44 stalls and alleviate parking issues that arise during Municipal Court nights, and meetings that are held at Village Hall. It’s a project that’s been on the village’s radar for well over a year.

The Village Board last week approved a $333,000 contract to expand the parking lot on an adjacent property to Village Hall along Pilgrim Road, and demolish the Schneider Farms Property. The cost for the parking lot would be $257,000, and the remainder would pay for the Schneider Farms Property on Pilgrim Road.

The village will also deduct another $42,000 from the contract by grading the Schneider Farms site on its own. Schneider Farms is a vacant property the village purchased for parkland, and was the site of a fire department training mishap earlier this year.

“It will significantly reduce the need for parking in the back, and we will have ample spaces available,” said Public Works Director Arlyn Johnson. “Adding another 44 nearly doubles the amount of parking in the front.”

Johnson said village and school district employees would use the new lot, and open up the spaces in front of the building to the general public. 

However, Trustee Sharon Ellis was hesitant about footing such a large bill for a parking lot expansion.  

“This is a very expensive parking lot,” Ellis said.

The parking lot would be completed by mid-September, according to the work order with the village.

In 2012, $280,000 was allotted for the construction of the parking lot expansion project in the Capital Budget. However, the final cost of the expansion has not been compiled as plans are not yet completed and bids have not been sent out.

In 1992, the land on the site was transferred to the Metcalfe family trust, and in 2006 the site was rezoned to accommodate a 45-unit, two-building condominium development. However, that project fell through and the village made its offer to purchase.