Return of tax dollars sought for unbuilt restaurant site

Redevelopment of the former Hillquist Excavating site on Route 25 in Geneva is back to square one, as the developers who dreamed of building a restaurant there are now trying to sell the land, and public tax money that would have paid for some improvements is being reclaimed.

The Geneva City Council this week voted to reclaim $66,280, saying the developer has defaulted on the 2006 redevelopment agreement with the city in which tax money was advanced to TAB Construction to tear down the Hillquist building at 106 N. Bennett St. (Route 25), remediate some environmental issues and make sewer, sidewalk and other infrastructure improvements.

The riverfront redevelopment tax-increment financing district that provided the money has expired, so the money will be split and sent to all taxing districts for the property, including the Geneva school and park districts, after the city finishes $15,000 worth of sidewalk and sewer work at the site.

TAB withdrew its latest plans, an office/commercial building, Jan. 29, and told the city it is selling the land. Last spring, the mortgage holder, Amcore Bank, filed a lien against the property.

In 2006, TAB proposed building the Rockwater Grill on the property. In 2008, it proposed building a Nikos Lodge restaurant, sister to restaurants in Wasco and Huntley.

Fifth Ward Alderman Paul DesCoteaux has criticized the appearance of the lot, where weeds grow up from the gravel.

Besides the mortgage lien, Campton Excavating has filed a $50,706 lien for payment for work done, as has a civil engineer, for $9,885 worth of work, according to documents on file with the Kane County Recorder of Deeds.