Historic Norwood Park Train Station

We, The Norwood Park Chamber of Commerce, are responsible for the restoration of our most cherished and iconic centerpiece of Norwood Park. Built in 1907, the Norwood Park Train Station has provided shelter and services to generations of Norwood Park residents. The station's disrepair and dreadful conditions over time cast a long shadow and seemed symbolic of the commercial depression along nearby sections of Northwest Highway. The dilapidated train station represented a compelling call to action on two fronts: first, as an important and highly visible historical building screaming to be restored to its attractive and functional role so core to our community; and second, as the cornerstone of a potential commercial redevelopment plan along Northwest Highway.

In 1999, State Senator Walter Dudycz, as part of his active role in support of our community needs and interests in Springfield, was able to direct an initial $500,000 grant from the Illinois First budget toward the restoration of the Norwood Park Train Station. Senator Dudycz identified our Chamber of Commerce as the most appropriate community group to represent the needs of the community and take on the project, and we formed the Norwood Park Train Station Foundation to receive the grant monies and to undertake the entire scope of the renovation project. To say the least, this was a remarkable opportunity to initiate the rebirth and regeneration of the commercial center of our community while acknowledging the historical integrity of Norwood Park.

The Foundation recognized that the community benefit should be realized by the community and drawn from community resources. Accordingly, it hired prominent local architect Dan Durkin to lead the design and development work. Mr. Durkin's reputation and restoration work in and around Norwood Park has always been remarkably attuned to historic preservation themes, and his association with the Norwood Park Historical Society inspired the restoration work with a wealth of insight, knowledge and sensitivity. As anyone can plainly see, the exterior restoration is profoundly on its way in becoming an attractive structure, with intentions to meet our highest aesthetic standards, and to clearly identify our community roots.

The initial phases of the project included purchasing the property and train station, developing a scope of restoration design and construction work to meet a wide array of historic preservation standards and reviews, performing substantial environmental testing and resulting cleanup work (primarily extensive asbestos contamination), gutting the building to prepare the site for work from the ground up, replacing the slate roof, refinishing all exterior elements, and landscaping.

This work has been substantially completed, at a cost of $523,710. The source of funds for this work has been the initial Illinois First grant ($500,000), Metra funds to offset environmental cleanup work ($200,000) and $250,000 received from a Metra Pass Through grant. These funds also allowed the purchase of the Train Station for $150,000 and to cover additional soft costs such as utility, electric, etc. Once we have organized all records of expenditures to date in a legible format, they will be available for inspection at our main office at 6400 N. Harlem Ave, Chicago, for which we will welcome review and comment.

The final phase of the project completes the interior restoration and opens the train station for public use. The original budget for this phase of work was $308,290 in 1999, and we await the final Stategrant to perform this work. This grant, once considered promising, has been caught up in the current realities of state budgetary reviews and remains pending. In the meantime, we are developing a plan for the alternate sources of funding should original expectations fail to materialize.

We mourn the fact that the train station's interior is not yet open for use by the community, of which we, your Chamber of Commerce and all of our members, are a part. We take great pride in the work to date, and we are extremely pleased with the return of the train station to its proper aesthetic and iconic role. We are also optimistic that the train station will be completed in order to complement our focus on promoting a more vibrant and needs-based commercial plan for Norwood Park and, not incidentally, to meet the needs and desires of our entire community.

We are critically aware that Norwood Park is a very attractive and appealing community made up of residents like us, both long standing and newer arrivals, including the young and the young- at-heart. We are responsive to the needs of the community because we exist to serve the community's needs and desires. We certainly welcome all of our chamber members and community residents to our monthly meetings and to support and participate in our voluntary efforts to improve our commercial infrastructure for the benefit of the entire Norwood Park community. Our monthly meetings are held at 8:00 a.m. every third Thursday, of the month.

We look forward to any and all participation in the Norwood Park Chamber of Commerce, as our community volunteer spirit will guarantee success for all. Please call our office for more details at 773.763.3606.