Demo to begin on Glencoe Golf Club clubhouse in fall

Village of Glencoe officials believe demolition of the existing Glencoe Golf Club clubhouse will start this fall as preparations continue for the estimated $18.6 million project.

Glencoe staff members provided village trustees with an update on both the budget and the construction plans for the overhaul of the Golf Club at a June 20 Committee of the Whole meeting.

Last year, a majority of village residents approved a $15 million bond sale referendum to fund most of the project set to be highlighted by a new combined clubhouse and pro shop.

Glencoe Golf Club General Manager Stella Nanos estimated the current project cost at just over $18.6 million. She said the specific financing plan now calls for use of the $15 million in bond proceeds in addition to tapping into $2.2 million from the village’s golf capital fund.

The Friends of the Glencoe Golf Club, a private fundraising organization, is finalizing a pledge of $1.25 million from an anonymous donor. Most of those funds will help offset the remainder of the new clubhouse costs, Nanos said.

Nanos added the village is also seeking at least $250,000 in grants to pay for a geothermal HVAC system. Separately, she hopes that a $600,000 design contingency that is now included in the current construction budget will not have to be used.

As for the construction, Nanos said the project is now in the construction development phase and 50% of the construction documents have been received and reviewed. The objective is to have all the construction documents in place by early August.

“Any delays in the timeline will adversely affect the budget,” she said. “We will have an increase in labor costs which our project manager has already told us to expect.”

She believed by August building permits will be submitted to the Cook County Building Department. That is necessary as half of the Golf Club is on land owned by the Cook County Forest Preserve District.

Nanos said she hopes to bring a demolition and early scope package to the Village Board in August for approval to raze the aging existing clubhouse. Then in September, the plan calls for Village Board approval of bid results for construction.

“There is a lot to be done, it is a very tight timeline,” Nanos said.

Village Manager Phil Kiraly noted the goal is to have the new building open possibly the end of 2025.

He said the existing pro shop would be open while building the new clubhouse.

“We don’t want to close the golf course while construction is underway,” Kiraly said. “Our hope is that a lot of progress will be made in the winter months.”

The scope of the project includes a new approximate 10,000 square foot clubhouse/pro shop along with a croquet court, a restaurant and bar, an outdoor patio, private event space, community garden and other outdoor amenities including cross country skiing.

Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.