Elgin rezones former Colonial Cafe site, clearing way for ECC land buy

The Elgin City Council has agreed to rezone the former Colonial Cafe restaurant near Elgin Community College, which paves the way for the school to acquire the property.

ECC is currently under contract to purchase the site on McLean Boulevard and Spartan Drive. The restaurant closed almost two years ago.

Officials said the property could be integrated into future plans for a campus expansion at ECC. The school is considering a new regional training center on the eastern side of its campus that could include industrial manufacturing, industrial maintenance, welding, HVAC and energy management.

The city council voted 8-1 on Wednesday to approve the rezoning motion. Councilman Toby Shaw cast the lone dissenting vote.

"I'm a big believer in ECC and their mission," Shaw said. "The issue before us is a zoning issue ... and it's being rezoned from a commercial property, driving tax revenue.

"If we let this rezoning go forward," he said, "then we also lose out on the future opportunity to have a restaurant and business there."