Schaumburg condemns land to redevelop historic district
Schaumburg officials Tuesday took steps toward the further redevelopment of the village's historic district.
They began proceedings to condemn a small strip mall and provide nearly $3 million in public improvements to get two stalled housing developments moving again.
Trustees voted unanimously to start eminent domain proceedings against the strip mall on the northwest corner of Schaumburg and Roselle roads, at the very heart of the area called Olde Schaumburg Centre.
Village Manager Ken Fritz said the village has been trying unsuccessfully to buy the property for the past five years to combine it with adjoining land Schaumburg already owns for a redevelopment of the site.
Under eminent domain, a municipality may force a property owner to sell his or her land for fair market value as determined by a judge.
The strip mall from 8 to 26 N. Roselle Road has Sara Lee, a chiropractor, a hair care business, an employee recruitment firm and a jewelry and coin shop among its tenants, as well as two empty spaces.
The targeted property does not include the Academy of Early Learning Pre-School immediately north, Fritz said.
Mayor Al Larson said eminent domain was once started against the old Town Square development on the southwest corner of the same intersection. But in that case, a sale was negotiated before it went to court.
Trustees Tuesday also gave staff direction to begin adding the Pleasant Square and Pleasant Drive residential projects just north to the tax increment financing district that covers most of Olde Schaumburg Centre already.
Due to a slump in the housing market, neither developer has been able to proceed without village help on the public improvements in the area, Community Development Director Christopher Huff said.
Adding the properties' 10 acres to the TIF district created for local public improvements in 1990 would help the developers move on to the private improvements they need to, officials said.
"By taking this course of action, it allows this development to get up and running very quickly," Trustee Tom Dailly said.
Adding the properties to the TIF district requires a process of notifications and hearings that will take place until July 22. The district's 23-year life span will expire in 2013.