Wheaton mayor wants Hubble site on tax rolls

Wheaton Mayor Michael Gresk says the former Hubble Middle School in downtown creates a unique opportunity when there isn’t much development happening in the city.

And that’s why he says he’s ambivalent about a Wheaton Park District proposal to buy all or part of the parcel from Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200.

“I would like to stay true to the original purpose and put a mixed-used commercial development there,” Gresk said Thursday after his State of the City address. “I am not anti-park. But I think a greater economic impact on the community might be to have that land on the tax rolls.”

Gresk’s comments came one day after park district officials announced they are seeking to pay “fair market value” for the 22-acre parcel at the corner of Naperville and Roosevelt roads. Right now, the park district rents outdoor ball fields and indoor space at the site.

The old Hubble site and Wheaton Grand Theater were the only redevelopment opportunities Gresk talked about during his speech to the Wheaton Chamber of Commerce.

He didn’t even mention the former Jewel Food Store sitting boarded up in downtown. Several months ago, Gresk called the $3.25 million asking price for the 19,500-square-foot building “the single-biggest impediment to putting a grocery store in downtown.”

Meanwhile, at least two of the developers that have expressed interest in the Hubble site have proposals that involve a grocery store.

“We have been getting some serious interest from commercial developers,” school board member John Bomher said.

District 200 is expected to have an updated appraisal of the property completed by the end of the month or early February, officials said. Then a decision will be made whether to sell the land. Bomher said the school board must decide if it wants the site to generate a revenue stream going forward.

School board President Andy Johnson said the district’s long-stated position has been to sell the land so it could be redeveloped. Then it would generate sales and property tax revenue.

“That’s been a very consistent message over the last three, four years,” Johnson said. “As one board member, I am still at that place.”

Gresk said the city is facing a number of financial challenges, including “significant decreases” in its revenue sources. At the same time, Wheaton is dealing with increasing expenditures, including rising personnel costs due, in part, to state-mandated contributions to employee pensions funds.

“While there are signs that the economy may be improving, the city’s projections assume very conservative gains in revenues, as the economy is still uncertain,” he said.

In the meantime, Gresk said a mixed-used commercial development at the former Hubble site would give the city a financial boost — even if it takes time to materialize.

“It’s been sitting for 85 years in terms of tax revenue,” Gresk said. “So it sits another two or three years. Big deal.”