Rescue Old Courthouse? Redevelopment Group Says Yes

JOLIET, IL — On the heels of an upcoming vote by Will County's elected officials to hire a demolition contractor, Hudson Hollister has unveiled plans to redevelop downtown Joliet's old Will County Courthouse. The four-story, county-owned building, has been vacant since the new $215 million courthouse opened across the street in November 2020.

Courthouse Square Partners consists of Hudson Hollister, his brother Nathaniel Hollister, who is an architect at Goettsch Partners in Chicago, and Damon Zdunich, a 2019 Joliet City Council candidate who was involved in the Bishops Hill Winery redevelopment that opened last year on Joliet's Bridge Street.

"We're proposing to partner with the county government to privately fund the redevelopment of this historic building. This partnership can transform the building into a community destination rather than demolishing it at taxpayer expense and replacing it with nothing," said Hudson Hollister, a 2021 Joliet City Council candidate who is CEO and founder of the HData computer software and technology company located inside downtown Joliet's historic Union Station.

At 10 a.m. Tuesday, the Will County Board Capital Improvement Committee will consider a demolition schedule for the old courthouse property.

Hudson Hollister has been working with several people in an effort to convince Will County not to tear down the former courthouse, which was built in 1969.

"We recognize the County Board voted in 2019 to tear this building down. However, the facts have changed since then. Multiple new businesses such as The Strange & Unusual Gallery have been started or expanded in Joliet's City Center. There is more interest than ever in bringing new destinations to downtown. We and other developers think downtown Joliet can be a one-of-a-kind destination."

Hollister sent his proposal to the staff of Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant on Monday. Hollister has asked Will County to negotiate a public-private redevelopment agreement that calls for a long term lease "at nominal cost."

"We will plan, design, finance, and execute a phased redevelopment of the building," Hollister's letter outlines. "We are willing for the agreement to require formal county approval for the redevelopment plan, certain design parameters, and financing arrangements. We propose to undertake each phase of redevelopment as financing becomes available, but we are willing to commit to complete an initial phase, constrained by a timeline, as part of the agreement."

Hollister said his redevelopment plan may include the following:

Offices in the first phase. Reopen the building to the public, remodel and sublease, at market rates, featuring office space, with a preference given to Will County government. Other tenants might include a nonprofit incubator and local legal, consulting, logistics and technology companies.

Opening an event center for the second phase, on the building's first floor.

Having a food hall featuring multiple vendors for the third phase. The marketplace-style food hall would be on the building's first floor with sublease preference for Joliet area restaurants and entrepreneurs.

Developing a rooftop bar and restaurant in phase four. The bar and restaurant would be subleased, utilizing the building's penthouse and rooftop.

Opening a boutique hotel or residential apartment units in the fifth phase. The small upscale hotel would occupy one floor within the four-story building, taking advantage of the building’s proximity to the Rialto theater, Jacob Henry Mansion, Joliet Area Historical Museum, Union Station, and Harrah's Casino & Hotel, according to Hollister.

"The 1969 Will County Courthouse Building ought to be redeveloped as a community destination and an enhancement to the urban fabric of downtown Joliet, not demolished," Hollister wrote county officials. "We are honored to have the opportunity to propose a public-private-partnership that will bring together private resources and public leadership to preserve and productively utilize the building through adaptive reuse, for the benefit of our county and all its people. We look forward to further discussions with the county."

Here's How Courthouse Square Partners Formed:

• In August 2021, a group of local businesspeople and community leaders began discussing ways to encourage the Will County government to redevelop, rather than demolish, the 1969 Will County Courthouse building.
• The redevelopment group rapidly gained support on a public Facebook group and began discussing the 1969 Will County Courthouse building with public officials.
• The redevelopment group was encouraged to learn that public-private redevelopment partnerships have been adopted throughout the United States to combine private-sector resources with public leadership to redevelop historic buildings for multi-purpose beneficial use.
• On December 8, 2021, the redevelopment group gathered virtually to learn from experts in historic redevelopment, architecture, and community leadership on the benefits and opportunities of redeveloping the 1969 Will County Courthouse building.
• Multiple Joliet and Will County community leaders have endorsed the effort to redevelop, rather than demolish, the 1969 Will County Courthouse building.
• On December 17, 2021, Will County Board Member Jackie Traynere and Will County Deputy Chief of Staff Dave Tkac led a tour of the 1969 Will County Courthouse building. We discovered that the building is in excellent condition and that its existing office space could be reopened inexpensively.
• In late December, members of the redevelopment group began discussing the possibility of launching a proposal to redevelop the courthouse building ourselves. These discussions led to the creation of Courthouse Square Partners.