After several years of trying to add cell phone service to the roof of the University Plaza, Verizon now seeks to build a cell phone tower on Russell Road.

The DeKalb Plan Commission reviewed plans to build the 150-foot tower, adorned with three clocks and crosses, on the property owned by the Immanuel Lutheran Church, 511 Russell Road.

The tower, which would be 50 feet taller than the University Plaza, 900 Crane Drive, would accommodate multiple cell phone providers, principal planner Russ Farnum said.

The tower’s design, which calls for three poles instead of the usual one pole, will be connected to each other with three clocks and crosses to conceal the real purpose for the tower.

“This has the chance to become a great landmark for DeKalb,” plan chair Rich Fassig said. “As long as it is done right.”

The commission expressed concern with the height of the tower, but decided it would be better to have one tall tower than many smaller ones.

“The last thing we want is another tower coming up in this same area,” Fassig said.

The church has been working with Verizon to design the tower and borrows one of their biggest trademarks for it.

The crosses on the tower will be Lutheran Church Missouri Synod crosses, which are red and have a three-dimensional look to them.

“We have always wanted to have signage on Annie Glidden Road,” said Darlene Hillmann, head of the Immanuel Lutheran Church’s board of trustees. “Now anyone passing by will see there is a LCMS church located right here.”

The tower also will help students know how fast they have to walk so they are not late for classes.

“I can imagine people walking from the [residence halls] and looking at the clock to see how late they are,” said the Rev. Marty Marks of Immanuel Lutheran Church.

The plan commission voted 3-0 to postpone approval of the tower until its next meeting.

In other business the commission voted 3-0 to annex and rezone more than 50 acres of land located at 12101 Barber Greene Road.

The former 300,000-square-foot AGCO and Caterpillar building that is located on the land will be the new home of 3M.

“They already have water and sewer [service],” plan commission member Vincent Frye said. “It is pretty much a done deal.”

The next plan commission is scheduled for 7 p.m. April 13 at the DeKalb Municipal Building, 200 S. Fourth St.