The City of Chicago has broken ground on the new Department of Fleet and Facility Management (2FM) headquarters in Englewood.
AECOM-Hunt has responsibility for design, construction and delivery of the structure at a guaranteed maximum price of $40.5 million, under a design/build contract.
“This move will double down on the progress we have made in Englewood while helping improve City government’s operations and efficiency,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in a statement. “By making community investments in areas that need them, we can deliver long-term economic benefits to the entire city of Chicago.”
The new facility will be built on a 12.5 acre city-owned site at 69th and Wentworth Ave., formerly the location of Kennedy King College. It will be used for the repair and maintenance of city equipment, such as fire apparatus and snow plow trucks and includes administrative offices for 2FM, and shops for carpentry, sheet metal, ironwork and painting.
In addition to the 220 city employees that will relocate to Englewood, the project will create an estimated 150 construction jobs. It is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2018.
In 2016, Mayor Emanuel directed 2FM to review the configuration and operation of the city’s maintenance shops to find ways to improve operational efficiency for 2FM, the city, and sister-agency departments who use the equipment maintained by 2FM.
As part of this review, the maintenance shop at 1685 N. Throop was identified as being underutilized and expensive to operate given its expansive size and construction type. The 18-acre complex included 410,000 sq. ft. of maintenance buildings for fire trucks, snow plows, police cars and other equipment with annual operating expenses exceeding $1 million.
In October 2017, city council approved the sale of 1685 N. Throop to developer Sterling Bay LLC for $104.4 million. A portion of the proceeds will fully fund the construction of three replacement facilities, including the new headquarters.
The two additional facilities will be built at 4241 North Neenah Ave. to serve as heavy-duty vehicle repair and at 1150 North Branch St. to serve as a city fueling station.
“The relocated facility will not only save the city operational costs, but also provide 2FM with a new state-of-the-art location that will meet the needs of our operations so we can better serve the citizens of Chicago,” 2FM Commissioner David Reynolds said.
The Chicago Infrastructure Trust (CIT) procured the site in coordination with the city and provided project management services during the design and contract negotiation.
“This new facility provides an opportunity for the CIT, in partnership with the City of Chicago, to drive economic development in the Englewood community,” Chicago Treasurer and CIT Chair Kurt Summers said. “By including contract participation goals focused on minority- and women-owned businesses, we are ensuring that every aspect of this project is as inclusive and impactful as possible.”
