Politics & Government

Village Preps for Spartans' Square Teardown

Shopping center to be razed as part of downtown redevelopment.

Updated at 11:10 a.m. Feb. 15.

Months after bringing on a  lead developer to guide the redevelopment of downtown Romeoville, the village is moving forward with plans to bulldoze the Spartans’ Square shopping center.

On the agenda for the Feb. 15 village board meeting is a deal with V3 Companies to conduct cleanup and remediation on the site, which is slated to be demolished this year, according to village documents.

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But Mayor John Noak said while "there's a good chance," the buildings will be demolished, that's not the only option on the table. 

"It's definitely one of the options being considered," he said.

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"Right now that's the concept," according to the mayor, but the shopping center's fate will ultimately be determined by market conditions and what lead developer Land and Lakes believes is feasible for the site. The village board will also have to give final approval to raze the site.

The deal with V3 includes two contracts. The first, a $42,300 agreement, will be paid with tax increment financing (TIF) funds, and includes the following work, according to board documents:

  • Active soil gas investigation in the area of contamination to assess potential vapor intrusion
  • Development of site-specific remediation objectives
  • Prepare a formal remedial objectives report (ROR)
  • Prepare a remedial action plan (RAP)

A second contract for $240,000 includes site remediation work and will be paid by a combination of TIF funding and a $200,000 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant.

Owned by the village since 2008, the Spartans’ Square strip mall has long figured into plans for the eventual revitalization of the Route 53 corridor.

Currently, three tenants — a Subway franchise, a laundromat and a currency exchange — remain in the shopping center. Noak said the owners have been part of the conversation as redevelopment plans progress. The village is working to help find new locations for the tenants.

"We'd really like to keep everyone in the area," Noak said.

Fire boat, emergency communications

Trustees are expected to sign off on the purchase of a fire rescue boat, thanks to a Federal Port Security Grant.

The vessel will be operated by the Romeoville Fire Department and will be used by first responders on the Sanitary and Ship Canal. The boat will also be used in handling hazardous materials mitigation, firefighting and other law-enforcement functions, and will be operated in conjunction with the U.S. Coast Guard.

On the agenda is a deal to purchase the boat for $164,789 from Lake Assault Boats of Superior, Wisconsin.

The board will also vote on a proposal to establish an emergency communications agreement between Romeoville police the and the new Lewis University Police Department.


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