Countryside City Hall & Police Headquarters

The City of Countryside received a much-needed new city hall and police headquarters, which now meets the needs of essential service personnel while promoting a sustainable design. This 34,900-sf facility represents the state’s first Net Zero government building and is designed to produce as much energy annually as it uses.

Eriksson Engineering Associates, Ltd. (EEA) supported the team’s goal of achieving LEED certification by producing site designs that considered rainwater management, open space, heat island, protection and restoration of habitats, and reduction of the parking footprint. The facility ultimately received LEED Gold certification.

Building and site features include 635 solar panels, green roofs with native plants reducing stormwater run-off, an infiltration stormwater detention system, water-efficient plumbing fixtures, energy-efficient geothermal heating and cooling systems, and LED lighting. A 198-foot monopole tower was installed, as well as electric vehicle charging stations that will be open to the public. The project also included improvements to the City’s water distribution system and new access to State and County roadways.

EEA provided civil engineering and traffic engineering services for the $21.8 million-dollar project. EEA civil engineers designed the three-acre site to hold 98 percent of stormwater by discharging it through ground infiltration to prevent downstream flooding. Looking beyond the existing conditions of the site, EEA took into consideration future plans by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to widen a nearby intersection.

Traffic studies and reports analyzing the existing site and nearby roadways were conducted to verify parking needs of the complex, study changes in traffic patterns, review the proposed circulation plans, and recommend needed roadway improvements and access.

The project was financed through the issuance of a long-term $20 million bond, a $1 million grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation, and the $1.5 million sale of the current City Hall property.

The Countryside City Hall and Police Headquarters is a proud recipient of the 2021 Sustainable Design Excellence Award from AIA Northeast Illinois and the 2021 AIA Justice Facilities Award.