Public Works Plans Move to Better Serve the Community

The Village has reached an agreement to purchase a new facility to replace the existing Public Service Center, home of the Public Works Department at 51 Raupp Boulevard. The Village identified the expansion of its public works operation as a high priority as part of its 2017 space needs study. Since the current center was dedicated in 1976, the Village’s population has more than tripled. Since that time, staff and equipment have grown to meet the needs of the community.

The new Public Works Facility will be located at 1650 Leider Lane, a former warehouse space that has been vacant for more than two years. Retrofitting this location will come at a significantly lower cost compared to a newly constructed building. The Village anticipates Public Works will be operating out of the new location within the next two years.

“Much like the Village’s strategic reinvestment in utility infrastructure, this move represents a long-term strategy to invest in our facilities,” said Village Manager Dane Bragg. “The purchase and reuse of an existing building meets our long-term service needs, while delivering the best value to our residents.”

Over the last two decades, the Public Service Center’s size and age have restricted the Department’s capabilities, including hampering Public Work’s vital emergency response efforts. Lack of adequate and accessible storage affects the immediacy of services especially during inclement weather or critical water main repairs. The current facility is less than half the recommended size, while the yard and storage areas are roughly one-third of what is needed for efficient operations.

During acquisition, remodeling and relocation, Public Works will continue to operate from its 51 Raupp Boulevard headquarters. The Village Board will consider options for reuse of the existing facility leading up to the relocation that will be consistent with recommendations of the 2018 Lake Cook Road Corridor Plan.

Services provided by the Public Works Department touch the daily livSavees of residents in a variety of ways, including the delivery of fresh water, the transport of wastewater, roadway maintenance, care for trees in the urban forest, cleaning of the streets, snow plowing, and much more. This planned move will support these everyday functions of the Department.

For more information, please visit vbg.org/pwfacility.
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