INSIDE
NEWS Woman drives through front of Joliet video store
SPORTS Two Will County teams resign
Page 3
Page 14
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Our Village, Our News
JULY 25, 2012
Vol. 4 No. 47
St. Mary project
APPROVED City Council gives unanimous approval By Jonathan Samples Staff Reporter
Despite some objections, the Joliet City Council unanimously approved a special use permit to allow the conversion of St. Mary Carmelite Church into a senior housing complex at Monday’s pre-council meeting. “Somebody wants to develop this [property] and put it to good use, and I think that’s a good thing right now,” Joliet Mayor Tom Giarrante said in response to objections. The proposed complex, which would contain 40 housing units for adults 55 years of age and older, would be located in the downtown church. However, the church’s location, 113 N. Ottawa St., has some of its neighbors unhappy about the proposed residential complex. Attorney Richard Kavanagh, who’s law firm is adjacent to the property, spoke out against the senior housing complex because of high costs and the property’s location within a B-2, central business, zoning district. “You’re not going to rejuvenate downtown Joliet by turning a parcel of land that could someday become part of a convention center and
“Somebody wants to develop this
[property] and put it to good use, and I think that’s a good thing right now.” Tom Giarrante, Joliet mayor hotel complex or a major new office complex into 40 senior citizen housing units,” Kavanagh said. Kavanagh cited the city’s 1990 development plan as the main reason for his objection to the project. The property, which was donated to developers by the Joliet Catholic Diocese, is in a B-2 zoning district. This zoning only allows multi-family residential structures as a special use, with primary use designated for office and retail development. “You’re trying to fit a square peg into a round hole,” Kavanagh said. However, others came to the meeting in support of the project. See ST. MARY, page 2
Jonathan Samples/Bugle Staff
St. Mary Carmelite Church, 113 N. Ottawa St., will be converted into a senior housing complex.