Elmhurst Park District to Move Offices Out of Wilder Park
ELMHURST, Ill. – The Elmhurst Park District administrative offices will soon have a new address. The District is making plans to move its administrative offices out of Wilder Park, allowing for increased community access to Wilder Park facilities. After finalizing a contract to acquire office and warehouse space located at 375 W. First Street, Park District administrative staff will relocate in early 2013. Following the move, initial plans for the current administrative building call for enhanced space for Wilder Park Formal Garden wedding participants to prepare for their big day, along with increased parking capacity for general park users, Wilder Mansion, the Lizzadro Museum and the Conservatory and Formal Gardens. Eventually, when the two-year Wilder Park Conservatory Restoration Project is complete, the administration building will be available for programming space and increased community use.
“The Park District has been fortunate to have its administrative offices located in Wilder Park since its inception in the 1920s,” Park Board President Colette Kubiesa said. “However, given the growth of offerings that take place in and around Wilder Park, the current real estate market, and the upcoming restoration of the conservatory and greenhouses, the time is right to make the entire park available for community use.”
The choice of the new building exemplifies the District’s role as a leader in sustainable initiatives as the facility, originally built in 1953, boasts a green roof design which will reduce heating and cooling energy costs and enable the capture of rain water for re-use in watering landscape beds throughout the District. The property also includes warehouse space that will allow for the eventual demolition of the District’s deteriorated storage garage, located along the Illinois Prairie Path near Safety Town and the Depot, creating additional open space.
The Park Board’s decision in 2011 to refinance a portion of the District’s long-term debt generated significant savings that will help fund this acquisition without the need to raise taxes or increase fees. The region’s depressed real estate market, recently reported in the Chicago Tribune to be at a 12-year low, offered an ideal opportunity to relocate the District’s administrative offices and provide greater access to Wilder Park for the Elmhurst community.
The Elmhurst Park District is an Illinois Distinguished Agency dedicated to promoting “lifetime enjoyment” by providing a variety of parks, recreation facilities, and affordable programs in the Elmhurst community. For more information on the Elmhurst Park District call (630) 993-8900 or visit www.epd.org.