Tudor Court

Tudor Court Street and Streetscape ImprovementsAfter originating in the 2016 Downtown Plan, the long-planned Tudor Court Street and Streetscape Improvement project began in April 2020 and was completed in December 2020.

The project invests in the long-term viability of downtown Glencoe and ties into the Village’s long-term vision of creating a special destination on Tudor Court that not only enhances Writers Theatre and the businesses around it, but also significantly improves pedestrian safely and makes much-needed improvements to the roadway, parking, and lighting in this important part of our business district. By pairing the placemaking and beautification work with the road resurfacing project, the Village is maximizing the project’s efficiency in time, cost and impact to this area of downtown Glencoe.

In the COVID-19 environment, and as always, the Village carefully balanced investment in the community through infrastructure improvement projects with prudent spending of the community’s financial resources. The Tudor Court project was financed with limited-tax general obligation bonds that were issued in the fall of 2019 specifically for this project. Because of strict rules regulating these types of bonds, the bond proceeds could only be used for this project.

In addition to new concrete curbs and reconstructed asphalt paved roadway surface, the project included the following improvements:

  • Closure of Glencoe Drive, providing additional green space, safer pedestrian access from the residential neighborhoods to the north, new outdoor seating space and supplementary parking on Tudor Court.
  • Re-use of clay brick pavers on widened sidewalk areas on both sides of the street as well as a mid-block pedestrian crosswalk.
  • Curbed and at-grade planter beds, specialty benches and coordinated site furnishing including benches, planter boxes and trash & recycling receptacles.
  • Specialty LED lighting features applied to bollard lights, underlit seating and pavement lighting in the mid-block crossing.
  • Pedestals providing access to power for community special events.
A summary of the finished project can be found here.
Finished Project Photos




tudorcourt_stakeholdersHistory of Design Reviewtudorcourt_stakeholders
July 18, 2017: Programming / Space Use and Analysis
The Village created the Tudor Court Stakeholder Focus Group to help guide the process. This group was made up of representatives from several Tudor Court businesses, Writers Theatre, the Women’s Library Club, Glencoe Park District, the Glencoe Chamber of Commerce and homeowners adjacent to Tudor. Together, the Stakeholder Focus Group developed a shared understanding about issues and perceptions related to Tudor Court; the groups efforts were collaborative and focused on “big picture” items related to use, functions, activities and appearances within the right-of-way and adjacent properties. Teska conducted a workshop meeting at Village Hall Chambers. The meeting included introductions to the project team, scope and schedule. Teska’s presentation to the group included an overview of the Downtown Plan, an existing conditions assessment and comparable character photographs that illustrate enhancement features from other “special places.” Following the workshop, the group participated in a walking tour of Tudor Court.

Some general themes that arose from these activities included:

Tudor Court should be a comfortable and safe environment for pedestrians first, but also accommodate cars and deliveries;Access and entrances to Tudor Court from surroundings are important (such as the Green Bay Road mid-block crossing, Park Avenue and Vernon Avenue);Passive or restful places for people should be located adjacent to active uses (such as Writers Theater, businesses and Friend’s Park);Screening of the backs of buildings may be important;In addition to being safe and functional, the objective should be to make Tudor Court attractive and celebratory of arts and culture.

August 30, 2017: Conceptual Models / Benchmarking
Based on the input received in July, Teska produced three Programmatic Exercises. The exercises included interchangeable design elements and and were organized into “Levels of Intervention”. The Levels of Intervention presented included the following interchangeable design elements:
Minimum Intervention: Existing roadway configuration remains intact and is resurfaced. Modest pavement improvements are made at key pedestrian crossing areas. Glencoe Drive remains in its current configuration. Site features are added to the existing right-of-way.
Intermediate Intervention: Roadway and on-street parking is reconfigured to expand and protect the pedestrian space. Glencoe Drive is terminated north of the Writers Theatre/Women’s Library Club Park property line, and converted to additional green space. Site features are integrated.
Maximum Intervention: Glencoe Drive is terminated, as indicated in the Intermediate Intervention. The Tudor Court Roadway is reconstructed as a shared street/plaza environment, including a conversion of all parking to parallel configuration. Site features are integrated.

September 19, 2017: Committee of the Whole Presentation #1
After incorporating the Stakeholder Focus Group’s feedback into the Programmatic Exercises, they were presented to the Village Board at the September 19 Committee of the Whole meeting. 

November 13, 2017: Tudor Court Place-making Public Open House
Download event flyer | Download presentation 
Following initial input from the Board, the Village and Teska partnered with the Village to host an open house to facilitate further discussion. At the open house, three concepts were presented to for feedback; Glencoe residents and stakeholders are encouraged to attend and share their input. 

December 18, 2017: Stakeholder Focus Group Meeting
Following the public open house, the Stakeholder Focus Group met to respond to community ideas and suggestions.

December 2017 - January 2018: Public Input Survey
A nine-question survey was distributed throughout the community to further engage the community.

January 18, 2018: Committee of the Whole Presentation #2
View Meeting Agenda Packet | View Minutes
A presentation to the Village Board, inclusive of design concepts, public feedback and cost estimates was made at the January Committee of the Whole meeting. Read the packet linked above for more information.

May 15, 2018: Committee of the Whole Presentation #3
View Meeting Agenda Packet | View Minutes
Following Village Board feedback given at the January Committee of the Whole meeting, Village staff worked with Teska Associates to develop refined cost estimates for Tudor Court improvements. Trustees discussed future design elements and decided that memorable features were most suitable for the community moving forward. Read the packet above linked for more information. 

June 21, 2018: Village Board Approval of Design and Engineering Agreements
View Meeting Agenda Packet | View Minutes
The Village Board approved two design agreements for Tudor Court street and streetscape improvements.

January 10, 2019: Design Alternatives - Committee of the Whole Presentation #4
View Meeting Agenda Packet | View Minutes
Teska Associates presented two design concepts, with one alternative representing baseline streetscape improvements, with the other representing the baseline improvements in addition to special elements. The Village Board directed staff to move forward with planning for the baseline improvements and requested additional options for various components of the special elements, such as seating and pedestrian-scale lighting. 

March 21, 2019: Final Design - Committee of the Whole Presentation #5 
View Meeting Agenda Packet  | View Minutes
The Village Board offered feedback on the final design and instructed staff to move forward with finalizing construction plans and preparing bid documents. Tentatively, the Village plans to bring the project in late spring, and to bring a contract for construction to the Village Board in early summer. Construction could begin as early as fall 2019.

July 18, 2019: Village Board Public Hearing Concerning Intent to Issue General Obligation Limited Tax Bonds
View Meeting Agenda Packet | View Minutes
The Village Board held a public Bond Intention Notice Act (BINA) hearing concerning the intent of the Village Board to sell general obligation, limited tax authority bonds in the amount not to exceed $1,200,000 to pay for public infrastructure projects within the Village, including but not limited to, improvements and repairs to municipal roads, curbs, sidewalks, streetscapes, lighting and landscaping, specifically for the Tudor Court street and streetscape improvements. After a competitive bidding process for project improvements, the Village received bid responses in amounts larger than originally anticipated; therefore, $1,200,000 was determined to be no longer sufficient to finance the project. The Board directed to hold a second BINA hearing during the Board’s August meeting on August 15, 2019 to accommodate the increase the size of the bond issue to accommodate the increase in project cost. 

August 15, 2019: Village Board Public Hearing to Issue General Obligation Limited Tax Bonds, Authorizes Contracts for Improvements and Engineering Services
View Meeting Agenda Packet | View Minutes
Following the Board's July meeting, the Board held a second public BINA hearing concerning the intent of the Village Board to sell general obligation, limited tax authority bonds in the amount not to exceed $300,000 to pay for public infrastructure projects within the Village, including but not limited to, improvements and repairs to municipal roads, curbs, sidewalks, streetscapes, lighting and landscaping, specifically for the Tudor Court street and streetscape improvements. Following the hearing, the Board adopted a resolution authorizing the Village to reimburse capital expenditures related to the Tudor Court Streetscape Project from anticipated bond proceeds. Last, the Board authorized the Village Manager to execute contracts with Alliance Contractors, Inc. for the street and streetscape improvements, as well as Hampton, Lenzini & Renwick, Inc. for construction engineering services.

September 19, 2019: Village Board Adopts Ordinance Approving Issuance of Limited Tax General Obligation Bonds for $1,500,000
View Meeting Agenda Packet  | View Minutes
The Village financial advisor, Speer Financial, conducted a competitive bond sale on September 19 to issue $1,500,000 in limited tax obligation bonds.The Village's AAA bond rating secured a low interest rate. The Board adopted an ordinance issuing the bonds to the lowest bidder.

The image below represents a rendering of improvements:

Streetscape Plan Updated 1.2020
2023 APWA Project of the Year - Transportation Category
This project won the American Public Works Association – Chicago Metro Chapter (Suburban Branch) Public Works Project of the Year in the Transportation category Less than $5 Million. 
View the award press release here.
View the project summary here.

APWA Award - Tudor Court - reduced file size
Downtown Tune-Up BackgroundThe Downtown Plan is the result of multiple years of engagement with the community. Learn more about the engagement process from the Downtown Tune-Up site below.

DOWNTOWN TUNE-UP