Project Category: Specialty Land Development

Cantigny Park, Project New Leaf – Phase 1

Project New Leaf, funded by the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, is a five-year multi-phase revitalization effort aimed at delivering a superior guest experience for Cantigny’s nearly 400,000 annual visitors, ensuring the park’s vitality for future generations.

Phase 1 improvements have been completed and include:

• Major infrastructure improvements including over 38,000 cy of earthwork, site utilities, sub-surface drainage, storm water management redevelopment, renovation and modifications to roads and pathways, and ecological native and wetland renovations
• Remodeled Visitors Center, including an expanded information kiosk, Bertie’s Bistro and a covered entrance for Le Jardin
• Redesign and redevelopment of the display gardens and Gold Pond area
• Red Oaks Farm playground and adjacent picnic pavilion
• 350 new parking spaces in the south lot
• Lighted walkways connecting main attractions and easy-to-navigate path surfaces
• Oak Colonnade stretching north-south from the Visitors Center to the First Division Museum
• Expanded gathering plaza around the Lion of Cantigny statue, with seating
• New restroom and visitor information building just south of the Visitors Center

Cantigny Park, Project New Leaf – Phase 2

Project New Leaf, funded by the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, is a five-year multi-phase revitalization effort aimed at delivering a superior guest experience for Cantigny’s nearly 400,000 annual visitors, ensuring the park’s vitality for future generations.

Phase 2 improvements

Focused on the redevelopment of the gardens and infrastructure improvements located east of the Visitors Center and south of the Robert R. McCormick Museum. Improvements within this phase will include:

• New visitor center patio and lawn renovation near LJ restaurant
• Green Garden renovation
• Octagon Garden renovation
• Visitors Center east lawn and plaza
renovation near the east entrance
• North and South Scallop Garden renovations
• Fountain Plaza and connector path between the Visitors Center and the allee

• South grove
• Rock Garden renovation
• Allee renovation
• Prairie View
• Little Farm stormwater facilities
• Pump house renovation
• World Trade Center exhibit at the First Division Museum grounds
• First Division Memorials

City Of Crystal Lake, Three Oaks Recreation Area

Redevelopment of a 450 acre sand and gravel quarry into a new public recreation area. The project includes the development of new city streets, bridges, decks, parking lots, and the entire utility infrastructure to support the new and proposed developments. The recreation area includes various buildings, swimming, picnicking, and fishing areas, as well as two boat marinas.

Chicago Botanic Garden, Esplanade

​Three-acre garden included the site development, rerouting of active major utilities that feed the entire campus, multiple water features, pavilion structures, 400 lf of shoreline stabilization and new boardwalk, new stairway to an existing adjacent building, exterior decks, and trellises.

The Morton Arboretum, Children’s Garden

The seven-acre Children’s Garden includes three main areas: Backyard Discovery Gardens and Adventure Woods, linked together by a Central Plaza. These three areas include ten themed gardens with water features, climbing and play elements.

Brookfield Zoo, Hamill Family Wild Encounter

An extensive redevelopment of the southeast section of Brookfield Zoo. The new Wild Encounter exhibit provides direct encounters with animals, science exploration, animal welfare and personal participation in conservation. Designed by The Portico Group, the three-acre exhibit features interactive and viewing exhibits for wallabies, reindeer, red pandas, alpaca, llama, goats and a large four-season Budgie Aviary building.

Brookfield Zoo, Hamill Family Nature and Science Plaza

Former home of Baboon Island, the newly developed 1.5 acre Hamill Family Nature Plaza now provides guests with the opportunity to relax in a serene, natural environment. Winding pathways feature opportunities for nature play and education while surrounding an open-sided, three-season pavilion for seasonal chats with Brookfield Zoo staff and Animal Ambassadors. Education programs and private functions such as weddings, receptions and corporate events are held in the evenings.

Guests can also discover nature in the science exploration garden for structured zoo educational programming. A sensory garden full of raised beds helps guests learn about flowers and vegetables that can be planted at home.

Other plaza features include the council ring for structured classes and large gatherings. Finally, the complete renovation of the old Scoops Restaurant has a newly branded Peacock Café and Grill with food options themed around sustainable dining.

Glacial Park, Lost Valley Visitor Center

A LEED® Gold Certified conversion and extensive renovation of an existing 28,450 sq. ft. motel into a new public visitor center. Complete with administration offices, exhibit viewing areas, environmental education classrooms, conference center and multipurpose rooms for community use. The project included the sustainable redevelopment to support a permeable paved parking lot, native plantings, bioswales and wetlands.

Chicago Botanic Garden, Gardens of the Great Basin

A ten-acre development of aquatic gardens, perennial gardens, wetland restoration, one half mile of shoreline stabilization with state of the art stabilization techniques, stone terraces and walking paths.

Northfield Park District, Willow Park Redevelopment

A 22-acre redevelopment and wetland remediation. Construction of four baseball fields, two soccer fields, four tennis courts, permeable 39-car parking lot, 3,400 sq. ft. picnic pavilion and storage facility, and 32,000 sq. ft. of pedestrian paths.

Give Something Back Foundation & Will County Historical Society, Lincoln Landing

A new interpretive education park spanning an entire city block. Located on the historic site of the Illinois & Michigan Canal in Lockport, IL.

Navistar Inc., Navistar World Headquarters Site Development

Redevelopment of Navistar’s 200-acre campus that included outdoor decks, walks, terraces, patios, sand volleyball courts, basketball courts, putting greens, outdoor dining areas and extensive native and ornamental landscape gardens.

Chicago Botanic Garden, Buehler Enabling Garden

New 11,000 sq. ft. garden to demonstrate the latest gardening techniques for people with all abilities. Includes raised planting beds, vertical walls, aquatic fountains, a classroom area and support buildings. The project also included the redevelopment of a major portion of the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Main Island.

Chicago Botanic Garden, Spider Island

Chicago Botanic Garden, Dwarf Conifer Garden

Chicago Botanic Garden, Kleinman Center

​Designed by Oehme, van Sweden & Associates and features a canopied outdoor amphitheater overlooking a small bay, protected wading area, and a boardwalk where students can view aquatic plants at different depths and perform water tests to learn about the critical role that freshwater systems play in the health of the natural world.

Chicago Botanic Garden, Serpentine Bridge

A new two hundred foot long winding bridge that connects the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Main Island to the Evening Island.

Chicago Botanic Garden, Arch Bridge

Galgano Pool Pavilion

The creation of an expanded resort quality outdoor entertaining area for a multi-million dollar private residence.