By now, many residents have heard the City is seeking to build a new police station on South Street pending voter approval in the March 17 public safety referendum.

But how was the site selected?

The location was chosen based on a number of factors. The biggest reason is the City already owns the property, so there would be no site acquisition costs or delays in acquiring land. By utilizing City-owned land, no new parcels would be removed from the property tax rolls. The City currently leases the land to the Geneva Park District, which has used the space for athletic fields. The City has provided advanced notice - and continues to work with - the Park District that the South Street location may need to be repurposed for a future home for the Geneva Police Department.

Another reason why South Street was selected was due to its close proximity to the Public Works Facility, 1800 South St. A great deal of operational continuity can be realized by co-locating two of our critical City buildings. Squad cars currently fuel up and are serviced at Public Works, so police are already frequent visitors to the neighborhood.

The majority of our City facilities are located in/around neighborhoods, and we pride ourselves on being a good neighbor. Fire Stations No. 1 & 2 are situated in neighborhoods, and the Public Works site has been located on South Street since the 1950s. The current Geneva Police Department resides near homes in Geneva's historic district.

If the referendum proves successful, the City will sell the parcel at 20 Police Plaza for future development.

New Podcast Episodes

Two new episodes dropped this week on the Let's Talk Geneva podcast. The City's Strategic Plan Advisory Committee dives deeper into the referendum by talking about construction management (episode 4) and the financial side of the referendum (episode 5). While you are on Spotify, make sure to follow the City's channel and check out our first three episodes, where we talk to Geneva Police officers and construction experts.

More Information

The City's website serves as referendum central. Residents can learn about the need for a new police station, view preliminary architectural renderings, use an estimated referendum tax impact calculator, review the facilities master plan, read FAQs, and access additional information.

Registration remains open for Police Station tours for residents who want to see the condition of the building at 20 Police Plaza. A virtual tour is also available for those who cannot attend in person.

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