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Lake Forest receives $1.2M grant for depot
Updated: February 5, 2013 7:54PM
LAKE FOREST — Lake Forest received a $1.2 million grant from the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) to complete the $3 million renovation of its East Side Train Station.
The ITEP grant will fund interior restoration of the historic Market Square station, including upgrading and replacing mechanicals, woodwork, plaster and the restrooms.
The Lake Forest grant is among a nearly $50 million investment in 54 community transportation projects throughout Illinois announced by Governor Pat Quinn and Illinois Transportation Secretary Ann Schneider on Jan. 30.
The Illinois Department of Transportation received 328 applications requesting ITEP federal funding totaling nearly $327 million.
The announcement caps the city’s eight-year attempt to secure grant funding to rehabilitate the historic train station built in 1899.
The is the second ITEP grant the city has received for the project, but the largest influx of money by far. In 2009, the city and the Lake Forest Preservation Foundation partnered to applied for an ITEP grant and were awarded just over $835,000. A $160,000 capital improvement investment from the city and a Metra donation of $250,000 paid for preliminary roof, gable and dormer improvements on the structure that was scheduled for demolition in the 1970s.
“This has been a long-time collaboration of efforts between the Preservation Foundation and the city. The restoration of the train station will make Market Square complete,” Assistant City Manager Carina Walters said in a city-issued press release.
The governor’s office estimates the latest round of ITEP funding will provide more than 400 jobs on projects that include historic preservation, walking trails, bike paths and streetscape beautification throughout Illinois.
