Elmhurst Police Station Tours Planned

ELMHURST, IL – Elmhurst residents will get the chance for a firsthand look at the police station that city officials hope to tear down and replace.

Next Thursday, tours of the station, which is at 125 E. First St., are set to start at 5:30 p.m.

A presentation is slated for 6:30 p.m. It is called a "community conversation" with Mayor Scott Levin and Police Chief Michael McLean.

The city said it is an opportunity for residents to learn more about the police station project, ask questions and share their thoughts.

The $48 million station is expected to cost the owner of a median-valued home an average of $53 annually in property taxes for two decades.

The City Council has yet to vote on the project, but the mayor and some aldermen have indicated support.

In the April 1 election, all the City Council candidates said the city needs to replace the station. But Levin's opponent, former longtime Alderman Mark Mulliner, is against it.

Earlier this week, officials at a city committee meeting acknowledged it's tough to persuade a skeptical public about the need for a new building that most residents have never gone inside.

Officials say the 35-year-old station has many problems.