Homewood Trustees OK Purchase of Former Restaurant

Village officials Tuesday agreed to move forward with the purchase of a second downtown property.

Homewood trustees voted 5-1 to buy the property formerly known as Savoia T’Go, located at 18138 Dixie Highway. The Village will use $151,700 from its general fund for the purchase.

Those in favor of the move suggest it allows the Village more control in the development process. Trustees several weeks ago made a similar decision, scooping up Ryan’s Funeral Home, 18022 Dixie Highway, with the hopes of selling it to a developer.

Trustees’ first option for that spot would be San Francisco’s Science Museum—called the Exploratorium—opening a satellite museum in Homewood.

Trustees are already in talks about the Savoia T’Go location, though it’s too early to foresee an exact plan, said Trustee Anne Colton. Colton said she was initially “nervous” about the Village purchasing different properties. But the tactic is a common one, she learned.

“Land banking is a really common practice with municipalities,” Colton said. “The idea is that we don’t want to own this for long—own it until we find the right developer.”

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