Joliet City Council Votes to Purchase Evergreen Terrace

The Joliet City Council has voted 7-1 to buy Evergreen Terrace at its Tuesday night meeting.

Councilman Larry Hug was the lone dissenting vote.

So, what’s next for Evergreen Terrace?

As of now, nothing.

“The vote tonight is a vote to purchase the property,” Mayor Bob O’Dekirk said. “Councilman (Jim) McFarland ran an online poll and I’ve viewed the poll and the results and answer after answer came back ‘Buy it and tear it down.’ There is no active plan to tear down Evergreen Terrace. There is no active plan to redevelop Evergreen Terrace.”

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The city will spend the next two years managing it itself, hoping that the site will eventually become profitable.

“Going forward tonight, the city’s idea is to buy the property, manage it and try to make money off of the property,” O’Dekirk said. “Until a viable plan is brought forward, that’s where the city is heading with Evergreen Terrace.”

The city’s next step will be to pay by Sept. 1 the $15,077,406 owed to the Northern District of Illinois U.S. Court.

However, there are plans forming for what to do next. Holsten Management Group previously presented four different proposals.

“What we have to choose from going forward is one of the four plans (by Holsten Management Group) that was previously presented or another option if we come across it,” O’Dekirk said. “Talk of redevelopment or tearing it down, I hope we get to the point in the future where we’re financially able to have that conversation.”

All the council members were able to have their say about the property. Councilman McFarland supported the purchase and promised quality living conditions that wouldn’t be equated with cancer or rats.

“As long as I’m a resident of Joliet and any elected capacity, you have my word that every single resident that lives there under our management operation of it will have a quality life. A better life than what’s currently there,” McFarland said. “And when we do move forward with redevelopment, every resident that wants to relocate and live in Joliet has that opportunity to do so. That is my personal pledge to all the residents that are there. This has been 10 years of living hell for the residents there.”

Councilwoman at Large Jan Hallums Quillman spoke of the past reports of feces and urine in the hallways and word that firefighters didn’t want to go in there.

“This is America and everyone deserves a better, clean, safe place to live,” Quillman said.

Councilman Larry Hug couldn’t justify spending the money on the property and told residents if they’re wondering why there aren’t more police or more snow plows in the winter, it’s in Evergreen Terrace.

“While we’re looking to own Evergreen Terrace, somebody out by 294 and 80 is looking to build a new casino,” Hug said. “That will come. There’s 5 to 12 million gone there. But we’ll have Evergreen Terrace.”

Tuesday night’s vote was a decision 10 years in the making as the council faced many differing opinions not just among itself, but from residents of the community and Evergreen Terrace.