Joliet plans sale of downtown parking deck to John Bays

One of two public parking decks in downtown Joliet may be sold to private developer John Bays before the end of February.

The Joliet City Council Economic Development Committee will review a plan to sell the Scott Street deck at a meeting Tuesday. If the committee gives a green light, the proposal would go to the full council for a vote at its Feb. 16 meeting.

Economic Development Committee Chairman Larry Hug said Friday that he is for the plan.

“We have a private businessman willing to take on this liability. It makes sense,” Hug said.

The city would sell the Scott Street parking deck to Bays for $151,000, according to the plan outlined in a staff memo to the committee.

The deck needs an estimated $915,000 in repairs.

“It’s in quite a bit of disrepair. We all know that,” Hug said. “That becomes his problem.”

Bays has been interested in buying the deck for at least a year. He said he needs more parking for tenants at a dozen downtown buildings he owns and for prospective businesses that he wants to bring in.

“Parking is an issue,” Bays said. “When I try to bring tenants into downtown, I need space for them to park.”

Bays said he’d like to take ownership of the Scott Street deck “as soon as possible.”

There has not been a public bidding process for a sale of the deck.

Staff has been negotiating with Bays and is recommending approval of the sale.

“I think it comes down to just the amount of investment that needs to go into the parking deck,” said Joliet Economic Development Director Derek Conley.

The city increased downtown parking rates in January 2020 with plans to issue bonds to finance improvements of the Scott and Ottawa Street decks. But parking revenue has declined because of less traffic due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The bonds have not been issued.

The deal with Bays would preserve 50 spaces for public parking and another 20 for residents of the Louis Joliet Apartments nearby. Bays also would be required to honor parking arrangements for residents of the Auditorium Building condominiums and existing parking tenants. The remainder of the deck would be available for Bays’ tenants at his downtown properties.

The deck, built in 1977, has about 400 spaces, Conley said.

The Economic Development Committee will meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall to review the proposal.

Conley said a full council vote on the Bays deal depends on whether the Economic Development Committee wants more information. But if the committee gives approval, it would be on the agenda for the city council at its next meeting Feb. 16.