Civic Center and Police Fire Headquarters Relocation Feasibility Study

Project Summary:

The scope of this project is to investigate potential options for the renovation or relocation of the Police/Fire Headquarters and the Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center. The City of Evanston has considered either moving the seat of government or rehabilitating and modernizing the Loraine H. Morton Civic Center at 2100 Ridge since the 1990s. The current Civic Center was built to be a boarding school in 1901 and its design is Ill-suited and inefficient for public service delivery and offices. The building imminently requires many expensive updates.

Likewise, the Police/Fire Headquarters building at 1454 Elmwood is too small and does not meet modern standards for holding cells, victim services support and overall security.

Project Address:

2100 Ridge Avenue 

1454 Elmwood Avenue

Project Manager: 

Shane Cary

For questions, please call 847-448-4311 

Public Engagement:

November 21, 2024 - Civic Center/Police Fire HQ - Spanish Language Listening Session

• Evanston Citywide Assessment - Findings and Recommendations from Modal Poll

Reports:

• Historic Preservation Tax Credits Memo - AECOM
• Historic Preservation Tax Credits Memo - Cade Sterling
• PFHQ and Civic Center Cost Comparison 
• Relocation Feasibility Study - January 3, 2024
• 909 Davis - Civic Center Proposal 

Documents:

• 1998 Evanston Adaptive Reuse & Programming Feasibility Report
• 1999 Recommendations for Interim Mitigations
• 2003 Preliminary Analysis of Potential Civic Center Alternatives
• 2003 Comparison to Rehab or Budget for New Building 
• 2005 Civic Center Design Guidelines 
• 2006 Updated Analysis of Evanston Civic Center Alternatives
• 2007 Evanston Civic Center Space Study Report
• 2008 Evanston Civic Center Test Fit Study
• 2008 Scope and Estimated Cost for Health, Safety and Code Required Upgrades to the Civic Center
• 2008 Civic Center Staff Task Force Status Report
• 2019 Civic Center Mechanical Systems Assessment
• 2020 City Owned Real Estate Assets Report 

Council Actions:

• March 10, 2025  
  • Resolution 21-R-25, Authorizing the City Manager to Direct Staff to Move Forward with Permanently Relocating Evanston City Hall to a Downtown Evanston Location and to Begin Identifying Options for a Non-Municipal Use or Exploration of an Adaptive Reuse of the Building and Property at 2100 Ridge Avenue
  • Presentation 
• February 24, 2025
  • 2100 Ridge Avenue Discussion
  • Presentation 
• February 10, 2025
  • Update on Civic Center and Police/Fire Headquarters Relocation Feasibility Study
  • Presentation 
• December 9, 2024
  • Civic Center/Police Fire Headquarters Public Engagement Update
  • Presentation 
• April 29, 2024
  • Approval of Change Order No. 3 to the Contract with AECOM for the Civic Center and Police/Fire Headquarters Relocation Feasibility Study (RFP No. 21-27)
• January 22, 2024
  • Civic Center and Police/Fire Headquarters Relocation Feasibility Study Discussion
• January 22, 2024
  • Resolution 9-R-24, Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Contract for a Lease at 909 Davis Street for Office Space to House City Hall Functions
• June 13, 2022
  • Approval of Change Order No. 2 to the Contract with AECOM for the Civic Center and Police/Fire Headquarters Relocation Feasibility Study (RFP No. 21-27)
• October 25, 2021
  • Approval of Contract Award with AECOM for the Civic Center and Police/Fire Headquarters Relocation Feasibility Study (RFP 21-27)
• April 26, 2021
  • Resolution 50-R-21, Directing City Staff to Issue an RFP to Study the Feasibility of Relocating the Civic Center