A task force appointed by city council members to take up the issue of a community center in Galesburg has made its recommendations.
The city council will receive a proposal at its meeting Monday that suggests allocating $1.5 million to buy and renovate the existing Galesburg Public Library, as it prepares to move into its new building.
The library building was the least expensive site considered for a community center, per master planning completed by Farnsworth Group last year.
However, Farnsworth estimated renovations of around half of the library’s 33,000 square feet would cost more than $5 million.
The task force’s proposal also recommends granting $800,000 to the Knox County YMCA to build an indoor playground and child watch space that would allow for renovation of the current watch space into a teen center.
The city would also be responsible for funding the salary a YMCA employee to run the teen center, at an annual cost of $75,000.
Lastly, the proposal suggests setting aside $200,000 for future needs of marketing and transportation for a community center, and estimates $250,000 in annual staffing and programming costs.
Federal dollars still on the table
The task force was formed in July with nominations from city council members and the mayor.
It’s an ad hoc group that has met eight times over the last few months, but with resignations and absences, no meeting has had all 15 members in attendance.
According to the final proposal – which was approved by a majority at a contentious meeting Nov. 21 – the city council gave the task force several “parameters and outcomes” to be considered.
For instance, the proposal states they were instructed to consider ongoing costs, to not duplicate services the city and other entities already provide – and to use a $2.5 million budget, which also has been referred to as a “soft cap.”
There may be more funds coming.
In the spring, former interim city manager Wayne Carl requested a federal appropriation – or earmark – for the community center project from U.S. Senator Dick Durbin.
A $1 million appropriation was advanced by the Senate Appropriations Committee over the summer.
Then in November, the Senate passed funding bills that included the appropriation “to renovate a former school into a new community center for Galesburg residents.”
Mayor Peter Schwartzman said the city has confirmed the federal appropriation is not tied to the former Churchill Junior High.
Churchill was selected by the previous council as the community center site but the current council authorized selling it.
“The funds are not fixed to any one location,” Schwartzman said.
He said he hopes, if approved by the House, those dollars would increase the current $2.5 million funding cap for a community center.
“I was not a supporter of this ‘soft’ cap and I think we need to deliver what is needed. The Task Force work has demonstrated in my eyes that there is a huge need for more programs for the youth and the older members of our community,” Schwartzman said. “This additional money would do wonders to help fund a robust center where these vital programs could be housed.”
Potential use for Churchill
The city may have found a buyer for Churchill, but the project is contingent on the developer being awarded Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, which are very competitive.
Bywater Development Group of St. Louis bid $305,000 for the former school, proposing adaptive reuse of the 87,000 square foot building into apartments for active seniors.
That’s after the city divided the parcel to keep the large lot of greenspace north of the building for public use.
The city council approved a non-binding letter with Bywater Development Group. The majority of the $17 million project depends on getting the tax credits, which are sold to investors to fund construction.
Bywater will submit its initial application to the Illinois Housing Development Authority by Dec. 8. If approved in the first stage, a second application would be due in March, with final notification in July, and the city potentially closing on the property in 2025.
In the meantime, the city could sell the property to someone else.
Director of Community Development Steve Gugliotta said the city is still responsible for utilities and maintenance on the property during the tax credit application process.
As of Nov. 28, expenses for Churchill totaled $103,116 since the city the acquired the property from Galesburg District 205 last year.
The largest expense has been heating the building at a cost of $31,356.
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