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Vernon Hills moves forward with $32.5M police facility plan, awards design contract to FGM
Summary
The Village of Vernon Hills approved Ordinance 2025‑117 on Oct. 7 to award FGM Architects a professional services contract (not to exceed $1,720,500) to design additions and renovations to the police facility and approved a CIP budget amendment to fund near‑term design spending.
The Vernon Hills Village Board on Oct. 7 approved an agreement with FGM Architects to provide design services for a police station additions and renovations project and amended the capital improvement program to fund current-year design work.
Director Veneta outlined a multi-step plan based on a space needs analysis that identified an optimal police campus size of roughly 62,000 square feet compared with the existing approximately 39,000 square feet across two neighboring buildings. FGM’s conceptual plan connects the two village-owned buildings at 740 and 754 Lakeview Parkway, adds space to meet public‑facing and operational needs, and estimated total project costs at roughly $32.5 million. The design services before the board include schematic design, design development, construction documents and support during bidding; a later supplement for construction administration was described as probable but not part of tonight’s award.
Staff reviewed project delivery options (design‑bid‑build, design‑build, construction manager at risk, pre‑qualified general contractor) and funding scenarios. Finance staff presented a baseline funding scenario of $10 million in cash and $25 million in debt, which would lower estimated annual debt service to about $1.8 million; other scenarios included 100% debt and pay‑as‑you‑go. Staff said the village does not levy property tax and typically abates debt on the county roll, using general revenues (primarily sales tax) to fund debt service.
Ordinance 2025‑117 awarded FGM Architects a contract for design services not to exceed $1,720,500; the board later approved Ordinance 2025‑118 to amend the CIP budget to account for roughly $700,000 of design spending projected in the current fiscal year (the specific budget amendment amount staff cited was a $550,000 addition). The board also discussed that construction administration work would add an estimated $573,000 in later design fees, bringing total professional design fees to an estimated $2.3 million.
Trustees asked questions about fee formulas, construction administration scope and procurement approach; staff said hourly and scope‑based estimates inform design fees and that a construction manager at risk is the favored delivery method at this stage. The board voted by roll call to approve the ordinances.
Notes: award to FGM not to exceed $1,720,500; estimated total construction cost $32,500,000; construction administration anticipated as a later supplement; CIP budget amendment to cover current fiscal‑year design spend (approx. $550,000 additional).
