Hoffman Estates assures church it's welcome in redevelopment area
A Hoffman Estates church hoping to relocate its services has received assurances from village leaders that its proposed move would not be at odds with planned retail and residential growth in the area southeast of the Interstate 90 interchange at Barrington Road.
Representatives of Harvest Community Church attended the village board's planning committee meeting last week to ask for feedback before it completes its purchase of the divided 37,500-square-foot Bright Hope International building at 2060-2080 Stonington Ave.
The church - which is not affiliated with the larger Harvest Bible Chapel - already has an office presence in the building, but wants to move services from Hoffman Estates High School to the portion currently leased by the separate Waterfront Church.
Harvest Community Church also wants to make part of the building a community center, expanding on the work it's doing in the neighborhood by creating more youth outreach programs and adding some free legal services.
But church representatives were initially hesitant ahead of closing on the sale due to the village's plans to create a tax-increment finance district that will encourage more development surrounding the nearby Pace Suburban Bus terminal at the tollway interchange.
"A church not being a business, they're putting all their eggs in this basket," attorney Lawrence Freedman said. "They buy this property, they're not buying it for five years or 10 years, they're buying it for the indefinite future."
Lead Pastor Dave Lee said it would have been easy to find a new location elsewhere if it wasn't for the service Harvest Community Church wanted to continue in the same neighborhood where it's been.
Harvest Church plans to renovate the interior where Waterfront Church currently holds services, but the capacity would not expand beyond the current 225 people, Lee said.
Village board members not only assured Lee his plans didn't contradict the village's, but expressed gratitude for what the church has and would continue to provide for that neighborhood.
"I think it serves a great need in the community," Mayor Bill McLeod said. "Whether you're redoing the neighborhood or not, you still need churches, community centers and all these other activities. It's not just about business and retail buildings."
Trustee Karen Arnet said that having grown up in the neighborhood, she appreciates the role the church has played there.
"It's a tough neighborhood at times, but there's been a lot of changes and I commend you guys for actually trying to work with the kids in the neighborhood and the community and the surrounding areas," she said. "I think it's a great idea and I hope you guys do really well."
The biggest concern expressed by the board was of the adequacy of the site's 62 parking spaces for Sunday church services.
However, Lee said only 60 to 70 parking spaces are needed for services at the high school.
McLeod said there probably is a way to slightly expand parking on the site, and likely enough street parking available for any overflow on a Sunday morning in what is largely an industrial area.
If the sale goes through, Bright Hope International - which provides poverty relief around the world - would move out at the end of the year.
But its lease to Waterfront Church would remain in effect until August 2024 and another to an indoor baseball training facility until January 2025. Afterward, Harvest occupy the entire building.