The Redevelopment of the Former Glenview Naval Air Station: A Transformation into The Glen
Gone are one million cubic yards of concrete, 1.5 miles of runways and 108 U.S. Navy buildings. In their place is The Glen, a 1,121 acre mixed-use district, with new homes, offices, and retail space. Public amenities include Lake Glenview, Park Center, Gallery Park, Air Station Prairie, two golf courses, and a Metra station.
The Glenview Naval Air Station
From 1937-1995, the Glenview Naval Air Station was an integral part of the Village of Glenview. For 58 years, the Village enjoyed a strong, friendly and productive relationship with the Navy men and women stationed at the Base. But in July of 1993 the U.S. Department of Defense recommended closing of Naval Air Station Glenview -- and two years later, on September 30, 1995, it did.
The Village accepted the designation of Local Redevelopment Authority and also elected to assume the role as Master Developer. This ensured that all decisions relating to the property would be controlled at the local level, protecting the interests of residents and core jurisdictions.
According to the Mission Statement for redevelopment project, the goal was to “create a lasting source of pride for the community by building quality public amenities, infrastructure, housing plus recreational and job opportunities”.
About The Glen
The Glen consists of almost 1.5 square miles and comprises approximately 15 percent of the land mass in Glenview. Located within the corporate limits of the Village of Glenview (having been annexed in 1971) the site is within Northfield Township and Cook County, and twenty miles north of downtown Chicago. Its name -- "The Glen" -- refers to a comment made by Glenview’s First Village President, Hugh Burnham, said he had a “wonderful view of the glen” from his home near Shermer and Glenview Roads.
To redevelop the air station and integrate it into the rest of Glenview, the Village coordinated a public process to create a reuse plan that was completed in 1995 and updated into a Master Plan in 1998. The Village then assumed the role of Master Developer, building main stem roadways and utilities and preparing the land for sale.