DeKALB — The City of DeKalb will consider purchasing one of Hunter Properties’ buildings, 1011-1027 Hillcrest Drive, for $1.19 million at the DeKalb City Council meeting on Monday.

The ordinance follows an agreement made between the city and Hunter Properties, where Hunter Properties has to sell four of their buildings within 3 ½ years due to numerous complaints and ordinance violations against Hunter Properties, according to an April 27 Northern Star article.

If approved, the city will demolish the building and provide resources to relocate existing tenants. The demolition and relocation will be paid for using federal funds received through the American Recovery Act, according to Aug. 23 City Council agenda. 

Purchasing the four Hunter Properties buildings is part of the 2018 Annie Glidden North plan, according to the City Council agenda. The plan states the Hillcrest/Blackhawk area provides a potential location for redevelopment that can provide shopping, services and other amenities to make the area “significantly more attractive, walkable, and supportive of businesses and services that can benefit area residents,” according to the agenda.

Public hearing for a future transit and maintenance facility 

City Council will also reconsider a resolution for the architecture and engineering design of a city transit facility. The city wants to hire Stantec Architecture Inc. for $264,000

The resolution previously failed due to the proposed location along Dresser Road, according to an April 13 Northern Star article; however, the city wants Stantec Architecture Inc. to “assess any and all potential available sites in a preliminary fashion, weighing their comparable development costs and impacts,” according to the agenda.

This resolution may require the city to apply for a state grant of $12 million to design and build the new facility.

The state portion of the grant assistance would be based on Rebuild Illinois bonds. The state funding program requires a public hearing to invite local residents served by a future facility to be heard about the potential benefits and challenges of such a capital investment, according to the agenda.

Federal and state funding of $8.6 million has already been identified for the site’s selection, design and construction of the transit facility.