Wheaton set to take over downtown parcels
Two dormant properties in the heart of downtown Wheaton may soon become contributors to the city's economy.
City officials expect to have ownership of the two parcels at 107-109 N. Main Street and 111-113 N. Main Street no later than early July.
The properties are the fruits of a long battle between the city and businessman Bob Sandberg. In return, Sandberg will receive about $650,000, which is held in escrow by DuPage County.
The land grab likely marks the final parcels the city will gain by condemnation. The court cases go back so long they were litigated under old standards for government takeover of private land.
Those standards have now changed. Eminent domain takeovers for anything other than police or fire stations or parks are now much more difficult for municipalities to achieve, especially in the scenario of the Sandberg properties.
Essentially, the city has taken the properties from Sandberg because of the lack of income-generating tenants they've hosted in the past. City officials believe they can do a better job.
City Manager Don Rose said one of the parcels has stood vacant for about 20 years. The other parcel has seen activity only in the upstairs apartment with infrequent renters.
"At best, they are underutilized properties, and at worst they are significant eyesores along the Main Street corridor," Rose said.
As such, Rose said, the buildings on both properties will probably be torn down rather than renovated. The city will be looking to add diversity to a downtown that has recently seen an influx of restaurants in recent years.
The chief retail goal of the city council for the downtown is to attract a grocery store. However, even if both Sandberg buildings are razed, there won't be enough square footage or parking for a grocery store to move in, Rose said.
Instead, the city will most likely see the continuation of the existing formula of first-floor retail with office space above. But even realizing those goals may take awhile, Rose said.
"Obviously, one of the biggest questions is going to be what is the response from the economic community given our economic cycle," Rose said. "Our desire is the sooner the better."
As for Sandberg, he's not going anywhere. His shop of novelties and clothes for big men and boys will remain on Front Street. The $650,000 won't mean much to him, Sandberg said, because much of it will be eaten away by capital gains taxes. He estimates the takeover of his buildings has set his retirement back another 10 years.
"It's a sad day for America," Sandberg said. "Private ownership doesn't mean anything, I guess. Every tenant I wanted to put in there the city ran off by telling them they were going to take the buildings. It is really a dirty, rotten crime."