Old Huntley village hall could find new life as a restaurant

Huntley's old village hall could soon be turned into a restaurant, through a proposed repurposing of the building nearly two decades after the village vacated it.

Village board members viewed a concept presentation of the proposal Thursday from Wauconda-based True North Properties Inc., which has done several redevelopments across McHenry County, including in Crystal Lake and Cary. The company also is converting the former Catty property in Huntley into an apartment building.

For its newest proposal, True North wants to keep the two-story portion of the former village hall intact, but tear down a single-story section at the back of the property, according to village documents.

A new two-story addition would be added to provide additional seating, a banquet area and kitchen space. That addition also would provide for public restrooms that could be used during downtown events, according to village documents.

Village trustees who saw the plan last week were supportive of the concept but split on the proposed design.

Renderings have the existing building maintaining its brick exterior, but new additions featuring fiber cement in the middle portion of the structure and new brick covering the rear, according to village documents.

Trustees Ronda Goldman, J.R. Westberg and Harry Leopold said they prefer to have the entire building covered in brick.

Meanwhile, trustees Mary Holzkopf and Curt Kittel, along with Village President Tim Hoeft, said they liked the variety on the building. Kittel said the mismatched brick was a good representation of the village's downtown because of the variety in the area.

"I think doing it the way you have it ... gives each building its own character," Kittel said.

Before the proposal gets any thumbs-up from the village, it will have to go through the town's plan commission and back to the village board for final approval.

The village vacated the property in 2006, and in the years that followed, saw it used as a gathering spot for a few different community groups, Village Manager David Johnson said.

In 2011 the Huntley Area Chamber of Commerce took it over and still occupies the building today. The chamber would have to relocate if the proposal moves forward.

Chamber Executive Director Nancy Binger said the potential development is exciting, calling the spot "prime real estate" in the village. The chamber, with its lease set to end June 30, has started to look for a new home.

"The fact that it's going to be repurposed into something to serve the community is great," Binger said. "So, we're excited."

The proposed redevelopment is the first for the building since the village left it, Johnson said. The entire process of approval for the redevelopment, which includes selling the property to True North, could take two to three months. The village will likely sell the property to the developer for $1, Johnson said.

If the project does receive the village's blessing, it will add another entry to a growing list of stops in Huntley's downtown. In addition to the Catty property, Huntley last year approved the redevelopment of an old fire station as a restaurant and apartments, with both projects slated to be done in the summer.

Earlier this year, officials said the village was eying two vacant lots that could be converted into public spaces for a number of uses, including outdoor dining and seating. Those lots, just off Woodstock Street and next to Coral Street, sit next to a string of businesses, including the fire station redevelopment and the new Lincoln House and Co. coffee and wine bar expected to open this year.