Robert Crown Project Moves Forward

City Parks & Rec staffers are recommending that the City Council proceed with the next steps toward development of a new ice rink and community center facility at the location of the existing Robert Crown center east of Dodge on Main Street, including prequalifying three Chicago-area firms from among the eight companies who presented qualifications to the City in response to its nearly 400-page request for qualifications ("RFQ"). Up for action at the January 24 City Council meeting is a staff recommendation to adopt a timetable and approve next steps consisting, besides the prequalification, of an environmental study for the site, a marketing study, and (assuming it's warranted by those two studies) the preparation and issuance of a request for proposals ("RFP") to the three firms to demolish the existing center and "design, build, finance and operate" the new facility. The concept is a privately-developed and likely-privately-managed center to which the City will retain title to the land, re-taking the facility after 30 years.
 
A Council subcommittee narrowed the list to four developers this past fall. The three finalists are Harbour Contractors, Inc., of Plainfield, and William Blair and Company and McCaffrey Interests, both of Chicago. All four out-of-state firms did not make the cut, nor did Dodge Capital, LLC of WInnetka.
 
The timetable contemplates awarding contracts for the environmental and marketing studies in approximately 7 weeks from now, and awarding the development/operation contract by April of next year. The full timetable is available as part of the memorandum at pages 22-24 of the packet for the City Council meeting. The full packet is downloadable from the City website.