oseph Freed and Associates, the firm redeveloping Northland Plaza, asked the DeKalb City Council for $6.8 million in funding for the redevelopment of the shopping center last Monday.

An additional $2 million was requested for off-site roadwork, storm water management and signal improvements for Barber Greene Road.

The $6.8 million would come from tax increment financing assistance, with the $2 million from municipal funding for infrastructure.

Freed and Associates unveiled a project plan to show the council what the building would look like when completed if they were to receive the money requested from the city.

The plans called for several houses the firm already has purchased to be demolished along Barber Greene Road, along with the leveling of the current Hardee’s Restaurant.

A retention basin would be built where the current Hardee’s is and connected to a retention pond that would be built behind the former Hollywood Connection building. Both would be connected to the Kishwaukee River.

Council members appeared to like the idea of gaining control of some of the extra rain water that often pools in the area.

Several council members were concerned that construction had started and land had been purchased before the city was asked for funding.

“It is my understanding that work has already begun, so why was this project already started before the funding was available for it to be completed?” Patrick Conboy, 5th Ward alderman asked.

Dennis Harder, of Freed and Associates, replied by telling the council that a cheaper plan could be drawn up to complete the project, but would be below the standard that the firm has set for their work.

City council members were concerned about center investment, especially since only one new store, Borders Books and Music, has agreed publicly to build there. Leath Furniture and JC Penney are expected to remain after the redevelopment.

“I guess the concern is that we are investing on speculation and faith that if you build it, they will come,” 2nd Ward alderman Kris Povlsen said.

When asked again why the firm could not create a cheaper mall that could be funded without city assistance, Harder explained that tenants would likely not be of the same caliber, since the current design incorporates architecture and landscaping.

“We could design a cheaper center, but we feel we have designed a center that will fit in well here in DeKalb,” Harder said. “A cheaper building means cheaper tenants, and we are looking at drawing national chains.”

The complete redevelopment is expected to cost more than $31 million.