Hubbard Woods parking garage needs more work; signage is next up

A pledge of more than $750,000 will address “intensive repairs” to critical infrastructure in the heart of a key Winnetka business district.

Village trustees during their first meeting of 2026 heard a detailed presentation regarding planned repairs to the Hubbard Woods parking garage.

Public Works Director Tom Powers told the council that the village in 2025 identified “urgent repairs” needed to the structure following an engineer’s inspection. Those pressing issues were completed in 2025, and officials subsequently identified the more “intensive repairs” needed this year.

Trustees in late 2025 earmarked funds to tackle the renovations and directed staff to also prepare plans for potential “aesthetic improvements” to the garage.

Broken and corroded shear connections, which have led to concrete deterioration, and waterproof-membrane damage on the parking deck are two of the issues that needed attention, Powers told the council.

Floor, column, beam and wall repairs are also needed, according to village documents. Officials also noted expansion joints and a bearing pad in need of replacements, seal cracks, deteriorated floor drains, tuckpointing issues and other concerns.

According to Powers, the major repair work for the garage is estimated to cost $800,000. From that estimate, $635,500 would be dedicated to the critical and structural work while $164,500 would go toward aesthetic improvements.

Representatives from Teska Associates told the Village Council during the Jan. 6 session that the planning and design firm would flesh out further plans and concepts for potential aesthetic upgrades. Planners are expected to at some point return to the council with ideas for its consideration.

But trustees at the conclusion of that meeting directed staff to, for now, proceed with only necessary structural repairs before finalizing any plans for aesthetics.

Village staff started a formal bidding process to find a contractor for such repairs, Powers said, adding that a more concrete timeline would be set following that.

Powers returned to council chambers during trustees’ Feb. 17 meeting to share further details about only a portion of the aesthetic enhancements for the garage, mainly the entry sign.

Officials worked with Chicago-based sign company Parvin-Clauss to develop a pitch for signage to show trustees.

The proposal Powers showcased Feb. 17 featured a 2-by-16-foot sign that features the Winnetka logo on the left and matches the existing streetscape standards in the village. It included gooseneck lights, which are similar to the lighting fixtures used at the nearby business Serena & Lily.

Trustees quickly reached a favorable consensus toward the design and instructed village staff to move forward with the design proposal, which will now go to the Winnetka’s Design Review Board for formal consideration.

The cost of the sign is approximately $8,000, Powers said, noting that amount would be part of the allocated aesthetic budget trustees discussed in January.

The Hubbard Woods parking garage was built in 1990 and last underwent significant renovation work in 2014, according to Powers, who said work at that time cost $215,000.

And while the garage needs its fair share of work, it reportedly is not in danger of failing.

“In no way is the Hubbard Woods garage the best structure that I’ve seen but it’s far from the worst,” structural engineer Bob Tober told the council in January. “It’s definitely repairable. We feel like we can cost effectively extend the service life and unless there is a compelling need to replace or put something else, we put this program together thinking that the garage can serve the needs of the village for a number of years.”

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