Wilmette Police Breaking Ground On New $41M Facility

WILMETTE, IL — The Wilmette Police Department will break ground Tuesday on its new facility, which is scheduled to open in fall 2027.

The city will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for its new police facility at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, as work on the long-planned project continues.

According to village project information, on-site activity in recent weeks has included substantial building demolition and construction preparation.

The project moved forward earlier this year through the village's bidding process. According to the village, bid proposals were received in late January from general contractors who had been prequalified based on experience with projects of similar scope and size. The Village Board reviewed the police station bids and alternate bid items at its Feb. 10 meeting, then awarded construction contracts at its Feb. 24 meeting.

"I'm excited that this is finally happening," Village President Senta Plunkett said at a February meeting.

Based on the bids, the updated construction price for the station is $41.5 million, according to the village. The village reported that the figure is just over 15 percent lower than the initial project estimates.

Village project information describes the new station as a 53,054-square-foot building. The planned facility includes a 44-person multipurpose room, dedicated and private social support spaces, five on-site visitor parking spaces and 61 total staff parking spaces, including 23 spaces in the basement for police vehicles.

The building will also include modern training and fitness spaces, including a defensive tactics space and a basement firing range. Other features listed by the village include a digital forensics lab, evidence processing and storage, prisoner holding areas, a green roof, solar panels and electric vehicle charging stations.

Since March 3, the Wilmette Police Department Headquarters has been temporarily located at 3220 Big Tree Lane. The facility's lobby is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. All contact numbers will remain the same.