The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County held a ceremonial groundbreaking today for its new Grounds & Natural Resources Campus at Blackwell Forest Preserve. The 112,900-square-foot facility will serve as the main hub for crews who maintain and restore the nearly 26,000 acres of forest preserves countywide.

The new campus replaces aging, scattered maintenance buildings with a centralized, energy-efficient complex designed to improve safety, operational efficiency, and environmental sustainability. Features include an on-site solar array for renewable energy, rainwater harvesting systems to conserve water, and native bioswales and basins that support both stormwater management and habitat restoration.

“This project will have a multigenerational impact on the public’s experience across the forest preserve system,” said Kevin Horsfall, the District’s director of Planning & Development. “It’ll support our biodiversity goals, cut long-term operational costs, and give our teams the tools to do their work more safely and efficiently.”

The campus will also include a new native plant nursery support building and greenhouse, expanding the District’s existing nursery and potentially quadrupling native seed collection and distribution efforts, further reducing reliance on outside suppliers.

Forest Preserve District president Daniel Hebreard emphasized the project’s long-term vision. “This facility has been critically needed for the past 20 years,” he said. “Our crews, staff, and volunteers are the backbone of everything we do. If you value our mission, you have to value the people and equipment that make it happen. This investment ensures we can continue caring for these lands for decades to come.”

“This project is shaped by the people who know this work best,” said Mike Wiseman, the District’s grounds manager. “The crews who start and end their day here helped design this facility. It’s not just a new building — it’s a better, safer home base for the people who protect our trails, manage our trees, and care for the land every day.”

The $36.4 million project was awarded to K.R. Miller Contractors Inc. through a competitive bidding process. Woodhouse Tinucci Architects designed the facility. An intergovernmental agreement with the City of Warrenville supports infrastructure improvements.

Construction is expected to be substantially completed by February 2027 with final completion by December 2027.

This is the largest of the 32 certified projects outlined in the District’s 2019 Master Plan. It advances nearly every plan goal, including improving visitor access, restoring habitats, and modernizing infrastructure.

For more information about the project, visit dupageforest.org.