HAJ plans for old Joliet Country Club ‘stalled’

The Housing Authority of Joliet’s efforts to buy the former Joliet Country Club have stalled, the agency’s executive director said Thursday.

In 2022, HAJ was awarded a $3 million federal grant to buy the former country club property to create a community for affordable housing and other developments.

But HAJ has been unable to negotiate a price with the property owner, Executive Director Michael Simelton said.

“Negotiations would best be described as stalled,” Simelton said in an emailed statement.

Simelton would not take questions in an interview and instead emailed a statement to describe the status of the project.

“Months ago, HAJ made an offer to purchase the property for $3 million plus a tax incentive that could result in an additional benefit of nearly $1 million to the owners,” Simelton said in the email. “HAJ believes this was a fair and generous offer. However, the owners contend the property is valued at twice the amount and rejected the offer.”

HAJ officials have been publicly talking about their vision for the 147-acre site since May 2021.

The housing authority wants to use the natural amenities of the site to create a housing community with a rolling landscape, clubhouse amenities and commercial enterprises potentially including a grocery store.

“The bottom line: HAJ is still very interested in purchasing the property, but we are not interested in overpaying for the property,” Simelton said in his statement.

Simelton said in June 2022 that HAJ had begun negotiations with JRM Investments of Wheaton to buy the former country club and “the owners’ opinion of value is not supported by comparable sales.”

The HAJ plan has gained support from surrounding residents concerned that the country club at 1009 Spencer Road could be converted to warehouse development like many other sites in the area in the southeast section of Joliet.

HAJ has a track record of creating affordable housing neighborhoods elsewhere in Joliet with the Liberty Landing and Water’s Edge communities.

ROC Inc., a Lisle-based real estate investment company, acquired the Joliet Country Club in 2016 when it was still active. The club was converted into a public golf course but then was closed in early 2020.

At that time, Joliet Park District officials said they were contacted by ROC to see if they were interested in buying the property for $6.4 million.

ROC later approached Joliet city officials with plans to redevelop the site for warehouses. But city staff and City Council members rejected the plan.