The Savannah Green development has another hurdle to cross before the touted development can be approved.

Over the past few months, the project has been halted for further consideration, and discussions have been rescheduled.

“If we don’t have a school, we won’t have a subdivision,” Construx Owner Michael Suhadolnik said.

Suhadolnik has tried to bring his neo-classical homes to DeKalb for over a year in the form of the Savannah Green Project.

“We’ve pulled the community pool area in favor of a school,” Suhadolnik said.

School Board President Don Robinson said the board is prepared to listen to Suhadolnik’s plans with an open mind.

Robinson said that DeKalb’s schools must remain thoughtful and concerned about growth in the area’s schools.

“There are some concerns, but we would like to hear what he has to say,” Robinson said.

DeKalb City Planner Ray Keller went to Construx’s Illinois State University subdivision to investigate the proposed project and said, “The project, as it is conceived, has merit, but some things need to be worked out.”

Keller said that the project has been in refinement for a few months, and that the public has had some concerns and has asked for further studies.

Suhadolnik conceded that the main problem with the project will be funding for a school.

“Architects estimated that the cost would be between six and seven million dollars,” Suhadolnik said.

Construx likely will be forced to fund the new school on its own, and this would drive the cost of the houses roughly six to eight thousand dollars, Suhadolnik said.

The original plan was going to see the Savannah Green homes sell for around $140,000. With the cost of a school being added to the mix, the homes will probably cost $148,000.

Suhadolnik said that the homes still will be well below the average new home cost of roughly $210,000.

“I think this is still going to happen, but we need a bank to step forward,” Suhadolnik said.

Suhadolnik said he will be speaking to the DeKalb School Board tonight about the feasibility of adding a Construx-funded school to the development.

“The ultimatum is that we have to bring in a school, or this thing is not going to pass,” he said. “I am challenged, but not in despair. It comes with the territory.”

The next public meeting about Savannah Green will be held Feb. 26.