Oak Park’s plan to acquire the U.S. Bank building on Madison Street is in the hands of state lawmakers, and the first vote in Springfield on the matter may come soon.
Oak Park’s village board voted in January to start the “quick take” process for 11 Madison St. with the plan of acquiring the bank location so it could be converted into a new standalone police station for the Oak Park Police Department. Trustees backed the plan as a less expensive alternative to constructing a new police building on the green space just south of Village Hall’s parking lots.
Quick take is an accelerated version of eminent domain, the process by which governments can stake claim to real estate for public use. The quick take process requires approval from both the Illinois Senate and House of Representatives.
Oak Park’s quick take bill made it out of committee last week and was placed on the senate’s calendar for third reading, where the matter will be voted on. The Senate will be back in session on March 24, with the deadline for senate bill third readings being on April 17, according to Senate Democrats Spokesperson John Patterson.
It’s not yet been determined which day the issue, labeled as SB 3107, will be voted on by the Senate. If passed, the bill would then go to the Illinois House where the same process would be repeated, Patterson said.
The legislative process continues as the village keeps working towards remaking 11 Madison into the future home of the police department. Village trustees approved detailed design plans for the site last month, with the adaptive redevelopment expected to cost Oak Park north of $67 million.
U.S. Bank officials have come out to oppose Oak Park leaders’ quick take plans. Bank officials have said the bank never planned to close the branch when it listed the building for sale last year, instead planning to lease back space inside the building from a new owner.
Bank officials vowed to “explore all legal challenges at the village’s use of eminent domain” in a message to local customers in January.
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March 17, 2026 at 11:01AM
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