UPDATE: Village Commons the Spot for New Police Station

The is the likely home to the future New Lenox Police Department.

In September, that includes the construction of a new police department and public works facility as well as the extension of Nelson Road south so it connects between Haven Avenue and Illinois Highway.

A deal was negotiated between the village and Voss Homes, which owns the 500-acre property southeast of Gougar Road and Haven Avenue. The village proposed paying for the Nelson Road extension in exchange for 20 acres that would have housed the new police station and public works facility. 

Those negotiations stalled, but now the village has found another swap that could provide new land at no cost to taxpayers. On Monday, the Village Board approved an ordinance that essentially trades property between the Village of New Lenox and the .

The village would receive 4.5 acres of land next to the library, providing enough space for a new police station. In exchange, the Park District would get 2 acres of land that the village owns between Old Plank Bank and Taco Bell, as well as the existing police department building.

"This way the taxpayers don't pay anything (for land)," Baldermann said. "It works out really well. We think it's a great deal."

The police building is key to the deal because the Park District is seeking more office space, Baldermann said. The police department is moving out , officals say. But the office space on the first level would work well for the Park District.

"We're busting at the seams at both the Lions Community Center and ," Parks Director Greg Lewis said.

Lewis said that once the Park District moves, he hopes to knock down a few walls in the Lions Community Center to open more space for programming. The Lions Den office could possibly be converted to a concession stand or storage area, he said.

Baldermann said he's happy the village will get the retain the Park District and police department in the Commons area.

"We have a great location in the center of town where people can get all their services," he said, mentioning the village, police, parks and library.

Voss Homes will continue to negotiate a deal with the village regarding a price for extending Nelson Road, which will benefit the planned residential development when it builds.

Previously, the village considered an option for the new public works facility to be nearby the police station. With this deal, which still needs village approval, the public works facility would be located somewhere else in town. Baldermann said the village has looked at about six possible locations.

Previous Coverage

Read the Village Board's Q&A posted on its website regarding these plans.