DeKalb City Council gives go-ahead for Safe Passage final development plan

DeKALB – Safe Passage, Inc. is another step closer to breaking ground on its new facility hopefully by the end of the year, organization officials say.

The DeKalb City Council voted, 7-0, during their Monday meeting to approve Safe Passage’s new facility’s final development plan. Sixth Ward Alderman Mike Verbic was absent from the meeting.

DeKalb City Manager Bill Nicklas said the proposed building at 217 Franklin St. in DeKalb will be 40,320 square feet and have two stories and a lower level. He said the City’s Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously voted June 21 to recommend Safe Passage’s new facility’s final development plan to the City Council.

“And we support their recommendation to you,” Nicklas said.

Safe Passage is DeKalb County’s only domestic violence prevention and survivor advocacy center.

Mary Ellen Schaid, Safe Passage’s executive director, previously said a new shelter is needed “because the current shelters is just too small and too tight to serve people in an appropriately therapeutic way.”

“We need a bigger shelter, and the proposed shelter is about double the size we currently have,” Schaid said earlier this month. “Our current shelter just isn’t adequate in size.”

On Dec. 14, 2020, the DeKalb City Council approved Ordinance 2020-077, which granted the rezoning of the Safe Passage site at 217 Franklin St. in DeKalb from the central business district to the planned development commercial district and also approved a preliminary development plan.

DeKalb’s city ordinance required that a final development plan including architectural elevations, engineering plan, lighting plan, landscape plan and final plat be submitted for review by the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council.

Safe Passage is currently located in six buildings – five homes and one apartment building – along South Fourth and South Fifth streets. The building at Safe Passage’s proposed site, the former DeKalb Clinic, was demolished in December 2020.

The new building will contain an emergency shelter, counseling services, administrative offices and an outdoor playground.

The building’s first floor will contain counseling services and administrative offices, the second floor will have 15 separate living quarters and about 54 beds for Safe Passage’s shelter and the lower level will be used for group therapy, children’s services and storage.

A 22-space parking area is proposed to the east of the new building. Safe Passage has an agreement with St. George Greek Orthodox Church to use their 32-space parking lot, and there are also free city parking lots and street parking available in the vicinity.

Schaid previously said that the proposed project cost is $7.5 million, with about one third of the cost needing to be raised before construction can start.

Schaid said after the Monday City Council meeting staff is pleased with the council’s vote. She said the facility’s targeted opening date is sometime in late 2022.

Construction is planned to start “hopefully by the end of the year,” Schaid said.

For more information about Safe Passage or to donate, visit www.safepassagedv.org.

• Daily Chronicle news reporter Katrina J.E. Milton contributed to this report.