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Sunday, May 18, 2008 10:59 PM CDT
Hearing opens Tuesday on YMCA land deal
By HERB MEEKER, Staff Writer
hmeeker@jg-tc.com
MATTOON — Residents have a chance to ask questions or speak up Tuesday night on a proposed land exchange to benefit expansion of the Mattoon Area Family YMCA.
A public hearing on the land exchange is scheduled to start after 7 p.m. Tuesday at the start of the Mattoon City Council meeting in City Hall. The deal involves acreage between the YMCA property and Broadway Avenue commercial buildings along the 1600 block as well as tracts east North 16th Street. The YMCA plans to expand its building to the south and parking areas to the east along the old railroad right of way with land originally acquired by the city for that purpose.
The exchange between the city and a land trust, including local business investors, would involve an exchange of undeveloped property between 15th and 16th streets for real estate south of the YMCA. The land east of 16th street along the old railroad right of way would be used for YMCA parking, while the land trust property would provide for future expansion space for the YMCA.
There would be a cash payment of $167,914 in the proposed agreement, according to city documents on the proposed agreement. The trust property, covering about 2.75 acres, being conveyed to the city has a fair market value of $306,464, according to calculations using cost per square footage involved in this deal and past transactions. The city paid $138,550 for the property east of 16th Street. It has been suggested the YMCA might offer reimbursement for a portion of the city’s payment.
Supporters of the exchange have claimed it would help the YMCA on its expansion needs now and into the future, while assisting the city with commercial development of that section of the midtown tax increment financing or TIF district. Another potential benefit would be elimination of the need to close 16th Street as suggested with one YMCA expansion proposal on added parking spaces to the east.
Other items on a rather short agenda listing include approval of grants of hotel/motel tax money to assist with July basement tournaments in Mattoon.
In addition to the hearing, residents can address the council members during the presentations, petitions and communications session of the meeting. Persons talking are asked to limit their statements to three minutes.
The council members also meets at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday during a caucus session for a review of the agenda items. The caucus is open to the public in the caucus room, but seating is limited compared to the council chambers.
Contact Herb Meeker at hmeeker@jg-tc.com or 238-6869.
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