Naperville officials say they must abandon two-decade-old plans and begin a new design process for a proposed parking deck at Nichols Library, a development that could add roughly $1.8 million in design costs as the city heads into budget season.
Why the decision matters now
The revelation surfaced in a city manager’s memo and comes as the city prepares to decide whether to move forward with the long-discussed parking facility, which supporters have touted as a way to ease downtown parking pressures. The project has been on and off the table for nearly 20 years.
Officials say earlier design work completed between 2006 and 2008 cannot be used as a basis for construction because building codes and other regulatory requirements have changed since that time. The older set of plans, prepared for a possible facility at 200 W. Jefferson Ave., envisioned a multilevel structure increasing capacity from 130 to 500 spaces and featured four levels, with only three visible from Jefferson Avenue.
City staff: new consultant and new plans needed
Andy Hynes, Naperville’s city engineer and deputy director of the Transportation, Engineering and Development department, told staff he expects a determination on moving to the design phase by December.
“We had hoped the old plans could just more or less be updated and we could use those as a basis for going forward to construction, but the plans are 20 years old,” Hynes said. “Further, the lead consulting firm that prepared those plans, they don’t have the resources to just update the plans themselves.”
Because the original lead firm cannot perform the updates, city staff indicated a new consulting team would likely need to be selected and that the work essentially must start from scratch. Hynes characterized the need for a new design effort as unsurprising given the time lapse.
Support, concerns and community context
The proposal has regained attention recently, backed by groups including the Downtown Naperville Alliance, the Downtown Advisory Committee and the Naperville Public Library Board. Citywide sentiment about downtown parking also played into renewed interest: Naperville’s 2026 community survey found roughly four in 10 respondents rated downtown parking as “fair” or “poor.”
- Original design (2006–2008): increased capacity from 130 to 500 spaces, four levels (three visible from Jefferson Ave.)
- Current status: prior plans outdated; new consultant likely required; estimated $1.8 million design cost
- Decision timeline: city engineer anticipates clarity on moving to design by December during budget deliberations
The potential restart carries budget and scheduling implications. The roughly $1.8 million figure is tied to the redesign effort and does not reflect construction costs, which would be subject to separate estimates and council approval. The project’s appearance on the city’s agenda during budget season sets up public discussion about priorities and funding allocation for fiscal 2027.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Previous parking capacity | About 130 spaces |
| Planned capacity (old design) | Up to 500 spaces |
| Estimated design restart cost | $1.8 million |
| Location | 200 W. Jefferson Ave. (Nichols Library) |
Any decision to proceed with a new design contract will require approval from the Naperville City Council and will likely prompt additional public comment, given the project’s history and the downtown location. If city leaders choose not to pursue the design phase, the long-standing effort to add parking at Nichols Library will remain unresolved.
For residents and downtown business owners who cited parking as a concern in the community survey, the council’s deliberations this fall will be a pivotal moment in determining whether the city will invest in a new parking structure or pursue alternative strategies to address demand in the central business district.
City staff and council members are expected to discuss the matter further as the budget process unfolds and community feedback is collected.
