By Bob Seidenberg
The main Evanston Public Library site at 1703 Orrington Ave., is among the sites identified as options to serve as the next permanent home of government operations after the city moves out of 2100 Ridge Avenue to temporary quarters early next year.
”It seems to me the fewer buildings the city is responsible for the better,” observed Council member Tom Suffredin, 6th, during discussion of the issue, asking about a renovated library building as an option.
Other buildings identified as candidates for city operations include 2100 Ridge Ave.; 909 Davis Street, the City’s “temporary” homewhere government operations are to move in the first quarter of next year; 1801 Maple Avenue/906 University Place, two Northwestern University-owned properties; and 900 Clark Street, across from the Maple Avenue garage.
The university buildings and 900 Clark property also hold the possibility of meeting the city’s need for a new Police/Fire Headquarters, according to a consultant’s report.
The decision is still in an early stage. Officials said additional investigation is still needed to obtain comparable budget estimates.
During citizen comment, John Kennedy, who helped spearhead a referendum in 2007, overwhelmingly favoring the city staying in the 2100 Ridge building, said one piece of important information was missing from the consultant’s report.
The “issue is how much is it going to cost to stay in this building or move somewhere else, or build a new building,” he told Council members.
”You have all the facts but you don’t have the key fact, which is what is the cost of partially rehabbing this building,” said Kennedy, who is running for the Council in the city’s 3rd Ward. “And I use the word ‘partially’ very, very pointed.”
