Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Elementary District 181 staff is giving very positive reviews to its new offices, which employees moved into a few months ago.
All interior work has been completed at 133 Ogden Ave., Hinsdale. All that’s left is completing work on the parking lot and final landscaping over spring break, said Mike Duggan, the district’s director of buildings and grounds.
“While some of the final interior work took longer than anticipated — something not uncommon to renovation work — we were able to move in before the lease on our prior office expired (on June 30),” he said. “The disruption to staff during the completion of the work has been minimal.”
District 181 officials looked at several sites for purchase, after leasing space at 155 W. 55th St., Clarendon Hills for the previous nine years and before that having district offices inside Elm School and leasing space in Westmont. The board authorized the $3.05 million purchase of the new facility in June 2023
In its Clarendon Hills offices, the available space mandated that departments were located in different spaces, Duggan said,
“We now have collaborative space that we did not have at the old office,” he said. “The departments are also arranged for a more efficient workflow. The space more accurately reflects (our) culture.”
Duggan said he is very pleased with the new offices, which are home to 30 district employees
“The new space is a much more welcoming space for our students and families,” he said. “The design allows for meetings of different sizes for stakeholders and staff.”
Karen O’Connor, the district’s communications director, also lauded the functionality of the new space.
“All the details here are very intentional,” she said. “The downstairs professional development space has flexible seating and tables to accommodate a variety of groups. We recently hosted our monthly PTO president meeting here, and everyone loved the space.”
Gina Herrmann, assistant superintendent of human resources, said the new space reflects the pride staff takes in serving its schools.
“We are excited to welcome staff and community members to our new district office,” she said. “Our team did an exceptional job creating a warm, professional, and highly functional environment. It’s a wonderful place to greet new employees and to collaborate with colleagues.”
Along with the positive impression the new offices are making with staff, Duggan said owning the new offices vs renting at the previous location is a much more effective use of taxpayer money.
“We are grateful to have an asset that will benefit the district now and into the future,” he said, adding that the administration and School Board planned for the purchase of the new offices to be made out of operating funds so that taxpayers are not subject to an incremental debt service levy.
After 25 years in the new offices, the financial benefit of owning vs renting is estimated at $2,656,740.
The project’s renovation budget was $5.1 million. As of Nov. 30, $4.2 million has been spent, Duggan said.
“Administration believes that the project will be delivered at or below the project budget once all work has been completed,” he said.
Chuck Fieldman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/15/hinsdale-clarendon-hills-school-offices/
