Homewood trustees approved two projects at their Aug. 13 meeting that are intended to improve the aesthetics and safety of the downtown area.
One project involves installing 10 LED lights in a new alleyway created between The Hartford, 2033 Ridge Road, and Loulou Belle, 2049 Ridge Road.
looking east from the parking lot toward Ridge Road. Homewood
plans to install lighting and a mural to improve the safety and
aesthetics of the space. (Eric Crump/H-F Chronicle)
The lights from the winning bidder, Lightworks of Lisle, will have color capability but probably will be white at night to increase safety in the alley, according to Joel Lauth of Lightworks.
Assistant Village Manager Terence Acquah noted that the primary purpose of the lights is to increase safety, but they also will increase visibility at night of a mural that will be created in the alley. The mural design has not been chosen yet and will be considered by the village Appearance Commission soon.
The alley lighting project will cost $27,228, less than the $40,000 budgeted, and will be paid for from the village’s federal American Rescue Plan Act fund. Public Works staff will install the lights with guidance from Lightworks, which will save the village money.
Trustee Allisa Opyd asked whether staff had checked with La Banque Hotel across the street from the alley or with residents of the apartments in the area to see if the new lighting would have any impact on them.
Village Manager Napoleon Haney said staff had not consulted with neighbors, but in a demonstration of the new lighting system, it was evident there would be little light escaping from the alley.
“The illumination does not go out of the alley,” he said. “We are confident that it will not impact anyone in the hotel.”
The village will also replace 10-year-old colored up-lighting exterior lighting at village hall, 2020 Chestnut Road, with a new colored LED downlighting system, also provided by Lightworks.
Haney said village hall, built in 1939, is a “classic building” and a focal point of the downtown area.
“It’s iconic. It’s the gateway from Metra, Amtrak, Dixie Highway,” he said.
The project also will be installed by Public Works staff to save money. The cost will be $49,758 of $50,000 budgeted from the village’s ARPA fund.
Haney said the bidding process was especially challenging for village hall. Initial bids ranged from $200,000 to $447,000, he said.
“We put a lot of hours into bidding this project, trying to find a vendor who could do this project within budget,” he said. “It took nine months to find a vendor.”
The new 23-light system will be capable of “a nearly unlimited palette of striking colors” that will allow staff to change the color scheme according to seasons or specific celebrations, according to a memo to the board from Acquah.