Park Perspectives: Future Plans for the Safran Beach House

Thursday, September 5, 2024

As the beach season comes to an end, Board President Carol Spain and Director of Parks and Planning Kyle Kuhs discuss how to ensure the Safran Beach House remains functional and serves our community's needs.

Kyle explains: "We do annual maintenance of the building to ensure it remains operational throughout the season. Given the building was originally constructed in 1928, with the most recent major renovation in 1996, approaching the 30-year mark naturally leads us to consider significant updates. It's time to update the furnishings and explore ways to make the building more functional and usable to the public."

Addressing Seasonal Challenges
A recurrent issue raised by residents is the use of bathrooms beyond the beach season. Currently, the lack of climate control-- no heating or cooling-- necessitates winterizing the building early to prevent freezing. Kyle notes, "As we plan future improvements, adding heating and potentially cooling systems would allow us to extend the building's usability through different seasons."

Unique Challenges of Beach House Renovations
Renovating the Safran Beach House presents unique challenges compared to residential renovations. "One of the major considerations is the heavy usage and wear the beach house bathrooms endure, which is significantly higher than in a residential setting," Kyle explains. This higher usage expedites the need for improvements.

Importantly, any renovation project will respect the beach house's historic charm. "We would not be changing the exterior appearance. There will be no footprint expansion, just improvements to the interior," Kyle assures.

Upcoming Referendum for Park District Projects
To address critical capital facility needs while maintaining the current debt service tax rate, the Glencoe Park District Board of Commissioners approved the placement of a bond referendum on the November 2024 ballot. If passed, this referendum will facilitate a range of enhancements at Glencoe Beach, including upgrades to the Safran Beach House, playground, boat house, boardwalk, sun shelters, ramps, and beach access points, as well as Takiff Athletic Field, new community greenhouses, and a new parks maintenance facility.

The District is dedicated to prioritizing these essential facility upgrades while upholding fiscal responsibility. By planning to pay off long-term debt by 2025, utilizing existing reserves, and capping the request at $14.7 million, the proposed enhancements can be realized without increasing the current debt service tax rate. Learn more about the referendum here.