After a history of vandalism, drug activity and unstable ownership, the old Bromley Hall soon may be called home. The building was constructed in 1966 as a dormitory for 150 people.

The building, located on 830 Edgebrook Drive, may be turned into either 108 efficiency apartments or up to 91 one-bedroom apartments by Jerry Cherney, a representative of 830 Edgebrook Corporation.

The DeKalb City Council will decide Monday whether to allow the developer to proceed with his plans.

If the building is turned into apartments, it can have an occupancy of up to 145 people. If it becomes a rooming house, the occupancy can be up to 116 people.

Currently, the building has 75 double-occupancy rooms and one two-bedroom caretaker’s apartment.

“I was trying to benefit the rest of the community [with the purchase],” Cherney said.

Cherney hopes to work out a deal with Campus Cinemas, 1015 Blackhawk Road, to acquire more parking spaces.

Principal planner Russ Farnum said the building has been a problem since 1995, when fire damaged the building.

“It wasn’t structurally sound,” Farnum said. “The option at that time was to have the building repaired.”

Instead, the former owner took the insurance money and walked away.

In December 1995, the building was donated to a religious not-for-profit organization, Yeshiva D’Var Yeshorim. The building was re-sold two months later and went through several more ownership changes.

“No one ever did anything with the property,” Farnum said. “There was a series of mortgage payments on the property, as well as back taxes. It created a situation where the title was unclear. It was a legal mess.”

Along with legal problems, the building created a safety concern.

The building became a trouble spot with drugs, vandalism and homeless people, Farnum said.

“It was an attractive nuisance,” Farnum said. “There was non-legitimate activity.”

Cherney entered the discussion when he heard that the city and NIU had a unique problem.

“The whole community was being affected in a very negative way,” he said.

Cherney already has put about $1.5 million into the building, he said. Improvements to the building will be made to both the exterior and interior of the building.

He said he hopes that when other building owners see the improvements, they will be encouraged to work on their buildings.