Old Building, New Purpose: Kane County Environmental Staff Find Room to Grow

Call it the ultimate recycling effort. The Kane County Department of Environmental and Water Resources has relocated to the longtime vacant Building E (see map) on the campus of the Kane County Government Center in Geneva, giving the department expanded workspace while also improving public access to other County offices.         

For years, the department operated out of the first floor of Building A, where staff faced limited office and storage space. Back in April, the elevator in Building A expectedly experienced issues requiring long-term repairs. That challenge sparked a larger conversation about how space on campus could be better utilized.

Department Director Jodie Wollnik and the County's Building Management team developed a plan to move the Environmental and Water Resources staff into Building E, which used to house the Coroner's office. The relocation also opened additional office space in Building A for departments that regularly serve the public, including the Treasurer's Office and Development Department, to have a more accessible presence on the first floor to residents, especially while the elevator continues to undergo repairs.

“This has been a great opportunity for us operationally," said Director Wollnik. “We've struggled for many years in the hallway of Building A to conduct recycling and sustainability activities because of limited storage space. This new location is ideal for us."

The department's new home in Building E includes a garage area that staff members have already put to extensive use during their first month in the space. Recently, the department received more than 75 trees and shrubs for a program aimed at assisting new homeowners and was able to store the materials on site. Staff also used the facility to house deliveries of rain barrels for another county initiative.     

The expanded space has also improved logistics for community recycling efforts. Staff recently received enough clothing and fabric to fill an entire box truck for reuse and recycling. Items were gathered at the new office location before being transported to the Kane County Recycling Center on Fabyan Parkway.   

Building E carries a long history on the Kane County Government Center campus. The property on Batavia Avenue was once a seminary purchased by the county in 1972. The portion now occupied by Environmental and Water Resources previously served as the Kane County Coroner's Office from 1990 until 2021. Before that, the building functioned as the seminary's laundry center.

Since the Coroner's Office relocated in 2021 to the County's new 57,940-square-foot multi-use facility on the Judicial Center campus, Building E had remained vacant.

County building management crews renovated the space ahead of the move by deep cleaning the building, repainting walls, replacing flooring, and repurposing existing office furniture, all while keeping costs to a minimum. In keeping with the sustainability practices promoted by the department, staff are also minimizing artificial lighting and taking advantage of the building's natural light to help reduce energy costs. The department has also signed up for Geneva's Peak Load Reduction notifications and plans to program building thermostats using energy conservation best practices.

The Department of Environmental and Water Resources oversees programs aimed at protecting public health, safety and the environment. Its responsibilities include the countywide stormwater management program, recycling and waste recovery initiatives, energy and resource conservation efforts and other environmental projects and special initiatives throughout Kane County.

Learn more about the Kane County Department of Environmental and Water Resources at https://www.kanecountyil.gov/FDER/Pages/ewrdiv.aspx

Get a copy of Kane County Recycles Green Guide at https://www.kanecountyil.gov/Recycling/Documents/26-KaneCoGreenGuide_DigitalADA.pdf