Mundelein launches resident survey about future of old village hall

Mundelein officials are turning to the community to help them decide what to do with the old village hall on Hawley Street.

A nine-question survey launched this week in digital and print formats. The deadline is Oct. 31.

The survey can be found online at mundelein.org. Printed copies can be picked up at the new village hall, 300 Plaza Circle.

The new village hall opened to the public in June. The two-story building cost about $10 million and took more than a year to construct.

Village staffers occupy about 15,000 square feet on the first floor, while a business called Weston Solutions has the entire second floor.

The old village hall, 440 E. Hawley St., is unused at the moment. It had served as the village's headquarters since 1929.

The police and fire departments once operated out of the Alpine-style structure, too.

"For Mundelein, it's an old historic building, and what to do with it is not an easy choice to make," Trustee Ray Semple said.

The survey about the old building is available in English and Spanish.

The first question asks if the building should be demolished, sold or repurposed for another municipal use. The questions that follow ask about potential uses for the site, funding possibilities and related subjects.

The survey is anonymous. However, people are asked to broadly identify where they live in Mundelein or to say if they don't live in town.

Semple hopes residents and other community members participate and share their ideas.

"This is a very sensitive topic," he said. "I'm not certain there is a definitive right or wrong answer."