Cook County continues to plan upgrades for buildings and other property it owns

Cook County will host three open house sessions in mid February to gather public input on the prioritization of projects to address deferred maintenance of county buildings and to accommodate future space needs, according to county officials.

The meetings will take place in the Cook County Courthouse from 10 a.m. to noon, 2 to 4 p.m., and 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 16. The work is being done as part of a process to update the county’s capital improvement plan (CIP) for buildings the county owns and maintains.

Over the next five years, the county anticipates spending as much as $13.4 million to upgrade building systems that are nearing or have exceeded their expected lifetimes, according to county officials. This includes water heaters and plumbing fixtures, interior finishes including floors, walls and ceilings, and building envelope components like roofs, windows and doors, and exterior finishes. The CIP will also include plans for addressing a shortage of workspaces for deputies, garage bay space, and space for evidence processing and storage in the law enforcement center. There will also be a plan to address a shortage of office space in the courthouse.

County Administrator James Joerke says that the main goals in updating the CIP are to increase the reliability of building systems and to reduce long-term operating costs.

Given the extent of needed upgrades and repairs, the county expects to issue bonds to pay for the work. The county has also been putting levy dollars into a capital improvement fund, the balance of which was around $592,000 at the end of 2022, according to county officials.

WTIP’s Joe Friedrichs spoke with Joerke about this topic and other county news following the final meeting for January of the Cook County Board of Commissioners. Audio below.

Joe Friedrichs January 30, 2023