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Exciting Progress on Our New Clubhouse!
A New Clubhouse Rooted in Prairie Style
The Glencoe Golf Club is excited to announce the upcoming construction of its new, state-of-the-art Clubhouse and restaurant, a beautiful showpiece designed by FGMArchitects. Over the next few months, the groundwork for this facility, which melds modern amenities with contemporary Prairie Style architecture, will take place. This new community hub will feature a year-round full-service restaurant and bar, exclusive indoor/outdoor event spaces, an event lawn, and two multisport simulators. Our goal is to demolish the current clubhouse in the spring of 2025 and have the new clubhouse open in the summer of 2026.
Prairie Style Architecture
The new Clubhouse’s design draws inspiration from the Prairie School of architecture, a style closely associated with Frank Lloyd Wright. This is fitting, as the North Shore of Illinois, including Glencoe, is home to several iconic examples of Wright’s work. The Prairie Style is characterized by several key elements, all of which are evident in the renderings for the new clubhouse:
- Horizontal Lines: The building emphasizes horizontal lines, mirroring the flat landscape of the Midwest. This can be seen in the long, low rooflines and the bands of windows. The exterior view showcases these low-slung roofs and horizontal lines, typical of Prairie Style.
- Organic Integration: The design seeks to blend the building with its natural surroundings.
- Use of Natural Materials: The design incorporates natural materials, such as stone and wood, that are evident in the renderings. The stone accents and the wood-toned ceilings create a warm, inviting, and natural feel.
- Use of Natural Materials: The design incorporates natural materials, such as stone and wood, that are evident in the renderings. The stone accents and the wood-toned ceilings create a warm, inviting, and natural feel.
- Open Floor Plans: The interior spaces are open and flowing, promoting a sense of spaciousness. Large windows connect the interior spaces with the outdoor environment. The interior renderings reveal these open spaces, with natural materials like stone and wood, and expansive windows that bring the outside in.
- Emphasis on Craftsmanship: There’s a focus on quality materials and construction, evident in the detailed stonework and the carefully designed interior spaces. The great room features a central fireplace, a staple in Wright’s designs.
Glencoe’s Architectural Heritage
The North Shore of Illinois is renowned for its rich architectural heritage, including a significant number of Prairie Style homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and his followers. This architectural style is an integral part of the local landscape and community identity. The new clubhouse design pays homage to this heritage, creating a building that is both modern and deeply rooted in the architectural traditions of the area.
Project Details
Significant sports, environmental, and leisure-related enhancements are also part of the project, and are planned throughout the 126-acre course. The project marks a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to replace the more than 100-year-old Clubhouse and significantly re-imagine the Club’s natural lands to create a comprehensive resource for the community that is accessible to all. Completion of the project and a Grand Opening Ceremony are anticipated in 2026.
The new Clubhouse will feature a full-service, year-round restaurant, an indoor dining room with a central fireplace, an outdoor terrace with sunset views, and the first “sports bar” in Glencoe (replete with TVs and bar and table seating). The Clubhouse will provide an upscale dining experience, casual offerings for the entire family, and meals for golfers on the move. The Clubhouse also boasts a meeting room/private event space, a full-service Golf Shop, and two multi-sport (golf, baseball, and many other sports) practice simulators. The new Clubhouse will also target LEED Silver standards, feature geothermal HVAC, all-electric equipment, and use bird-safe glass in all windows.
The planned enhancements to the 126-acre site include: a regulation-sized Croquet Court; a Short Game Practice Area; an Event Lawn, Pollinator Gardens; Sustainable Gardens; a Community Garden; Winter Recreation Areas; a Bicycle Repair Station; and nature and environmental programs.
The project will allow Glencoe Golf Club to serve young people, adults, and families throughout the community and Chicagoland, and the more than 45,000 visitors who play on the course each year. The facility is open to the public, and there are no membership fees.
Community Support and Collaboration
This ambitious project was made possible through the support of the Glencoe community. In April 2023, a referendum was held, and the community voted in favor of the project, demonstrating their commitment to enhancing this valuable asset. Learn More
Several key groups played a vital role in bringing this vision to life:
Ad Hoc Design Review Committee (AHDRC): A group of seven residents directly participated in the design process through open public meetings, ensuring that the community’s needs and preferences were considered. Learn More
Friends of the Glencoe Golf Club (FOGGC): The Friends of Glencoe Golf Club, a 501(c)3 non-profit, is spearheading a separate fundraising initiative. Their goal is to secure private donations to enhance the Glencoe Golf Club’s 126-acre site and new Clubhouse beyond what public funding provides. Learn More
A Centuary of Partnership: The Village of Glencoe and the Forest Preserves of Cook County
Since 1922, the Village of Glencoe and the Forest Preserves of Cook County have shared a successful intergovernmental agreement for the management and preservation of 126 acres of open space. In 2017, Glencoe and the FPCC renewed their commitment to this partnership by updating the agreement, ensuring clarity and mutual benefit for both entities. This renewed agreement reinforces the shared commitment to environmental stewardship, preserving open space and providing recreational opportunities for the broader Cook County community. This ongoing collaboration serves to enhance the ecological integrity and biodiversity of the land while also ensuring the long-term sustainability of the golf course, a distinguished Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary and Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary, for the enjoyment of present and future generations.
2025 UPDATES - Key Activities and Milestones:
We’re thrilled to share some exciting updates on the progress of our new clubhouse! The construction schedule is currently being finalized, and we anticipate breaking ground in mid-summer with an anticipated opening in the summer of 2026.
Construction Documents
Our project team has diligently revised and finalized the Construction Documents. This includes incorporating site design changes and ongoing coordination with our consultants. The design and construction documents for the Clubhouse have been completed.
Permitting
We are actively working through the submission and approval processes for various crucial permits, including:
- Forest Preserve District of Cook County (FPDCC) Submission and Approval
- Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Submission and Approval
- Cook County Building & Zoning Submission and Approval
- Village of Glencoe, Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), and Northbrook Submissions and Approvals
Bidding Process
The bidding process has been a significant focus. FGMA has been providing valuable support to WBO by issuing addenda and responding to Requests for Information (RFIs) from potential bidders. Trade bids were received on February 25th. The bidding process for trades concluded in March, resulting in a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) of $14,815,533.
Meeting & Coordination
We are holding regular weekly project team coordination meetings, as well as focused meetings to discuss budget, bid reviews, and specific coordination items such as IT/AV. The team is also addressing comments received from the FPDCC Courtesy Review.
Project Status
The project has advanced from the Construction Documents phase into the Bidding and Construction Administration phase. Significant effort is underway to secure all necessary permits and coordinate effectively with various agencies. The construction schedule is pending finalization, awaiting approval of MWRD Permits (Pending). Demolition of the existing Clubhouse is scheduled to begin in May.
2024 Updates (Completed)
- Developed stormwater management solutions.
- Advanced interior design development.
- Finalized kitchen equipment layout.
- Progressed architectural design development.
- Incorporated sustainability initiatives.
- Finalized the Geothermal HVAC system design.
- Held design meetings to review exterior elevations, incorporating a modern prairie style in line with the Ad Hoc Design Review Committee’s direction.
- Established final square footage and seating capacities.
- Finalized interior design plans for the kitchen, event space, main dining area, bar, pro shop, offices, and simulator.
Demolition - 5/8/25
Beginning May 8, Doetsch Contractors, the low bidder, efficiently razed both the original mansion and the clubhouse in just one day. The site cleanup was completed by May 14, making way for the groundbreaking ceremony on May 19.
Demolition debris was meticulously separated on-site into various piles. Materials were either directly recycled, repurposed, or sent to a transfer station for further hand-separation of metal, plastic, and wire. The concrete went to a crushing station to be transformed into reusable backfill or roadbed material (CA-6 ¾ gravel with fines). Additionally, brick pickers were on-site, carefully palletizing salvageable bricks for repurposing in other projects.
Groundbreaking Ceremony - 5/19/25
Today was a truly monumental day for the Glencoe Golf Club as we celebrated the Groundbreaking Ceremony for our new Clubhouse! It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces as we kicked off this exciting new chapter.
We are so grateful for the incredible support that made this project possible. A special thank you goes out to our partners, the Forest Preserves of Cook County and Friends of The Glencoe Golf Club, for their invaluable contributions. Their partnership is essential to the success of this endeavor.
We can’t wait to see the new Clubhouse take shape and welcome you all to this enhanced experience at the Glencoe Golf Club!
Foundation Excavation is underway - 6/19/25
It all starts now! The first dig for the new clubhouse foundation is underway. We’re not just laying a foundation of concrete, but a foundation for future memories, friendships, and traditions. The ground is officially broken!
Near Completion! - 7/11/25
Basement Excavation Nears Completion!
Great progress on the construction site! The basement excavation is almost finished for the new clubhouse. The center depressions you see are for concrete piers that will support the steel columns, while the perimeter excavations are for footings and the foundation wall. Once complete, the basement will house the electric cart fleet and some the building’s mechanical elements.
Update! - 7/22/25
Foundation Work Continues!
The footings are all poured for the new clubhouse! The next step is to set wall forms for foundations.
Update! - 7/31/25
Foundation Work Continues!
We’re thrilled to share the latest construction milestones for the new clubhouse.
Main Foundations Poured: The base for our future home is set! Golf Cart Ramp Ready: The foundation walls for the new cart ramp are framed and poured. Reinforced for Strength: Extensive rebar tying is underway inside the walls to create a rock-solid structure.
Update! - 10/07/25
Foundation 99% complete
Things are really taking shape! We’re thrilled to share the latest construction milestones for the new clubhouse.
Check out what the crew has accomplished:
Main Foundations Poured: The structural base for our future home is set!
Piers and Walls Complete: The main interior support piers and all primary foundation walls have been poured and cured.
Steel Beams Set: Heavy structural steel beams have been installed to support the upper deck.
Precast Flooring Installed: Massive precast concrete planks have been placed, capping the basement level.
Waterproofing Applied: The foundation is sealed and protected, with waterproofing and exterior retaining walls complete.
The foundation is nearly finished! Next up, we move onto the steel frame. Stay tuned for more updates!
Update! - 11/21/25
Check out what the crew has accomplished:
- Foundation Completion: The project successfully wrapped up the extensive foundation phase. This included finalizing all retaining walls, pouring the remaining concrete for the foundation walls and piers, and applying all necessary waterproofing to secure the basement level. The foundation was confirmed to be 99% complete.
- Transition to Vertical Structure: With the foundation established, the construction team transitioned to the next major phase: the erection of the structural steel frame. This phase—the first step in building the upper levels—was actively underway during the week leading up to November 21st..
- Next Steps: Following the start of the steel frame, crews were beginning to initiate associated site work, including the first steps toward building the exterior enclosure (sheathing) and connecting site utilities (plumbing and electrical), which are necessary to make the building weather-tight for winter construction.
