The DuPage Forest Preserve District approved a public clubhouse and visitor center at The Preserve at Oak Meadows in Addison.
The district’s commissioners also approved hiring Pepper Construction Co. as the construction manager to deliver the project for a “guaranteed maximum price contract” of $12.6 million or less.
The one-story public clubhouse will feature an 18,018-sq.-ft. building with a restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating areas, a multipurpose event room with an outdoor terrace, a pro shop, locker rooms, kitchen and office space.
The building will feature a green roof, bird-safe glass to reduce the number of birds flying into windows, sustainably sourced wood, LED light systems, and compliance with ComEd’s energy efficiency program.
The Forest Preserve District acquired the former Elmhurst Country Club in 1985, and the original 50,000-sq.-ft. clubhouse at this location was destroyed by fire in 2009. After the fire, there was a public call to immediately replace the clubhouse, but Forest Preserve District Executive Director Ed Stevenson said he first wanted to address chronic flooding problems, improve environmental conditions, and address aging infrastructure on the property’s landscape before committing to replacing a building.
The Preserve at Oak Meadows underwent a major two-year restoration project to improve stormwater management and water quality for Salt Creek, enhance habitat for fish and other aquatic species, and create a premier 18-hole public golf destination. It reopened for a brief preview season in late summer 2017 and had a full grand-opening season in 2018.
Work is underway on the new clubhouse and visitor center and the project is expected to complete construction by September 2020.
