Glencoe Board Told $625,000 For First Phase Of Tudor Court Plan

GLENCOE, IL — The Glencoe village board got a look at the latest updates to plans to improve Tudor Court, the downtown home of the Writers Theatre. The architecture firm Teska Associates presented plans to "activate the street a little bit more," at a Jan. 18 meeting of the village board's committee of the whole, Glencoe News reported.

The first phase of the potential renovation is estimated to cost $625,000. Some board members asked for more concrete numbers about the cost, according to the Pioneer Press report.

Feedback to the draft plan has been positive so far, according to a memo from staff. The village manager's office told the board they anticipate working through possible partnerships with the park district, BMO Harris Bank and the Writers Theater over the coming months.

Budget documents show $100,000 budgeted for the engineering studies, with a contract awarded for $30,000 so far.

The firm is expected to bring back new cost estimates to the board later this year.

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Read a brief summary of the concept plan from a memo from Teska Associates to Glencoe Village Manager Phil Kiraly:

1. Glencoe Drive Termination: In collaboration with the Park District, there was a great deal of positive feedback on the concept of terminating Glencoe Drive. Service and loading access for Writers Theatre will need to be accommodated via hammer head or similar roadway terminus. The roadway termination and the consolidation of the underutilized park space that is presently bifurcated by the roadway would enable the Park District to redesign and reconfigure the space to support passive park functions, greater interconnection between Tudor Ct., the rail station, parking, and other resources in the park district system. Both the redesigned park and the gateway elements at the Tudor Court/Green Bay road intersection will benefit from a coordinated design approach. 3.1.a Packet Pg. 4 Attachment: Tudor Court Placemaking - Teska Associates (Report and Update on the Tudor Court Design Review Process)
2. Gateway Treatments: There was general support for gateway treatments that are visible from Vernon Ave, Park Ave and Green Bay Road. Located at these intersections, gateway treatments are intended to reinforce key entries to Tudor Court and the business district, and may include decorative paving, vertical identity features, overhead lighting, public art, bollards and plantings.
3. Park Avenue to Tudor Court Walkway: There was support to enhance the existing Walkway which connects Tudor Court with Park Avenue and Downtown Glencoe. As the walkway exists on BMO Bank site, improvement would need to be coordinated with the property owner. Improvements may include a slightly reconfigured walkway, overhead festoon style lighting, public art, benches, lighted bollards and plantings.
4. Mid Block Crosswalk / Writers Theatre Drop Off: There was support to improve upon the existing crossing and drop off conditions between the Tudor Court Walkway and Writers Theatre entry. The mid block crosswalk should be visible and decorative as well as promote safe crossing. The crosswalk should replace the drop off in a more conventional south side drop off for eastbound traffic. Features of the crosswalk may include decorative paving, landscaped bump outs, public art and plantings.
5. Aesthetic Treatments: There was interest in using streetscape furnishings and amenities to distinguish Tudor Court as a special area. Furnishings and amenities may include pedestrian scale enhancements such as underlit seatwalls, benches, swings and litter/recycling receptacles. There was support for indirect and accent lighting such as lighted bollards, integrated seatwall lighting and overhead festoon lighting.
6. Wayfinding: There are critical elements that should be connected to a comprehensive wayfinding signage system. A wayfinding system may be considered Village-wide to support community shopping, dining and destinations, such as those along Tudor Court. The system may include a family of signage such as gateway signs, directional signs, business directory kiosks, parking area signs and community events signage.
7. On Street Parking: There was a great deal of interest in on-street parking. The Concept Plan contemplates a relatively parking neutral system that generally continues the existing parking pattern, including parallel parking at the south and diagonal parking at the north. Within the east half of Tudor Court (abutting Park #15N), the Concept Plan considers shifting the right of way north to accommodate additional parking and bus drop off space in coordination with the Park District. Time specific regulations may be considered to accommodate the greatest availability of parking spaces when they are needed.
8. Places for People: While Tudor Court is intended to support typical driving, parking and drop-off functions, people places are integrated to support pedestrian activity and gathering associated with a vibrant downtown. Connections to downtown and the Metra station invite activity into Tudor Court. Sidewalks are depicted at their maximum width, with limited obstructions, to provide for safe, comfortable, and accessible movement. Seating areas depict clustered seating areas with a variety of bench types, planter pots and pole mounted lights. Seating clusters include:
   1. Linear cube benches adjacent to Friends Park, located along the retaining curb
   2. Clustered bench swings adjacent to Park #15N in modest paved bulb outs
   3. Curved seatwalls integrated into raised planter curbs at landscape bump outs
   4. Groupings of benches and planter pots strategically placed along storefronts