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Waukegan police recommend former Ramada site for new headquarters
Summary
Command staff and consultants recommended the former Ramada property as the preferred site for a new Waukegan Police Department building; officials discussed lot size needs, flood risk at other sites, traffic on Green Bay Road and next steps before design work can proceed.
Commander Frank Lopez of the Waukegan Police Department presented site options for a proposed new police facility at the Public Safety Committee meeting on Sept. 15, recommending the former Ramada property as the department’s preferred location.
Lopez said FGMA Architects completed a space-needs study and identified lot-size thresholds the department needs to move to design drawings: about 5.3 acres for a two-story building, 4.7 acres for three stories and 4.5 acres for four stories. "A 2 story police department would be the ideal for a department our size," Lopez said.
The presentation reviewed several parcels considered and reasons they were rejected, including small lot size, flood-prone ground and access problems. Lopez told the committee the old Ramada site is leveled, measures about 5.8 acres and would allow indoor vehicle storage, outdoor visitor parking and nearly an acre for future expansion. "Our recommended site is the old Ramada site. It's been leveled," Lopez said.
Committee members asked about traffic and access. Alderman Florian raised concerns about high-speed traffic and a curve on Green Bay Road; Lopez said the department would need to coordinate with the Illinois Department of Transportation on permitting for any traffic-control device and that West Waukegan provides an alternate egress to existing signals. Alderman Guzman and others asked whether proximity to a main artery is typical; Lopez pointed to examples such as Saint Charles, which locates its station on a major route and said the department would pursue a traffic-control solution if needed.
Lopez described operational details relevant to a new building: evidence and long-term stored vehicles are kept at the armory in a secured garage for now, and certain impounded vehicles at public works may be released or junked. During questions he said the current detention area holds 18 cells (four for females, 14 for males), plus one separate holding cell and one juvenile cell.
No formal committee vote on a site was taken; Lopez said the department needs a formal site selection before FGMA can proceed to the next design phase. Chair Alderman Martinez encouraged staff to express interest to the property owner so the city would not lose the opportunity to pursue purchase or negotiation.
Next steps described in the meeting were: confirm property availability and price (not specified), coordinate with IDOT on any required traffic control, and authorize FGMA to begin schematic drawings once the city formally selects a site.
The discussion closed without a binding decision; committee members generally expressed support for pursuing the Ramada site while flagging traffic and flood-mitigation questions to be resolved.
