Downtown business neighbor questions redevelopment efforts at two 19th Century Joliet buildings

Two 19th Century downtown buildings are deteriorating while redevelopment plans are stalled, a business neighbor told the Joliet City Council this week.

Lawyer Dan Kallan has an Ottawa Street office between the old Barrett’s Hardware store and St. Mary Carmelite Church.

Kallan bought his first baseball mitt at Barrett’s and was baptized at St. Mary Carmelite, but told the City Council on Tuesday that he is growing tired of the lack of progress on redevelopment plans for both buildings.

“I share a wall with that building,” Kallan said of the Barrett’s store. “As far as I know there’s been nothing done for well over a year to build the hotel.”

Redevelopment plans for both buildings have been stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic, a city official said.

But Joliet-based Posh Hospitality plans to resume construction in 2022 for a SpringHill Suites hotel at the Barrett’s building, said Dan Scott, regional manager for the hotel company.

“Our goal is to start construction in the new year and hopefully to open in early 2023 or in the summer of 2023,” Scott said.

The city provided a $5 million incentive package to offset construction costs. But the incentive agreement is scheduled to expire this summer.

“We’re either going to work on getting an extension with the City Council, or, if that’s not possible, we’ll work on getting a new agreement,” Scott said.

Scott said the company has spent $1 million so far on interior demolition and converting the basement into useable hotel space, but work did stop with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. Total project costs have been estimated at $18.7 million.

He said Posh would address broken windows mentioned by Kallan at the council meeting.

“It’s becoming an eyesore,” Kallan said of the Barrett’s building.

St. Mary Carmelite Church “is deteriorating rapidly,” he said.

The owner of the church has a contract to demolish the church priory, a separate building that is newer and not considered historic, Joliet Economic Development Directgor Derek Conley told the council.

He said the owner continues to plan redevelopment for the church.

A restrictive covenant on the property prevents demolition of the church, which was acquired in early 2020 to its third owner since the Diocese of Joliet sold the property in 2012.

St. Mary Carmelite Church was built from 1877 to 1882 and is made of Joliet limestone.

“I understand it’s a historic building,” Kallan said, noting his own personal history with the church. “My parents were married there. Nine months later I was baptized there.”