 The company is looking to purchase 5 acres of 27 owned by the
city.Sciortino introduced himself as the president and principal
of the company. He said Brinshore has been in existence for 18
years. They specialize in building multifamily affordable housing
units. In their years in business, the company has built
approximately 4,500 apartments in five states: Illinois, Wisconsin,
Iowa, Indiana and Michigan.
Currently, the firm is preparing to break ground on a new
development in Canton, which Sciortino said would be very similar to
what he would propose for Lincoln.
In the plans he presented to the city, there are a number of
buildings spread around the 5 acres. Sciortino said the buildings
would contain 43 townhouse-style apartments in all, with common
living areas being on the ground floor and bedrooms being on the
second.
The layout also includes a community building, playgrounds,
picnic areas and a space for a community garden.
Currently the Lincoln Futbol Club has soccer fields immediately
behind Wal-Mart. Sciortino said he had been in touch with the club
and had discussed how his plans would affect them. As it stands now,
he said one of the smaller junior fields would have to be
eliminated, but otherwise, the apartment complex would fit in with
the existing fields.
He said the club was agreeable to losing the one field, and he
had also talked to them about giving the club some parking space to
make up for the loss. He had that included in the drawing he showed
to the council.
The complex would join Malerich Drive, and Sciortino said his
company would be responsible for building the roads in the complex.
Alderman Buzz Busby asked if the firm would want the city to
provide sewer, and Sciortino said they would not. The firm will pay
the cost of the sewer connections and all other utilities.
Buzby also asked if the firm would be seeking any kind of TIF, or
tax increment financing, Sciortino said that would not be needed.
The financing for the project will come from the Illinois Housing
Development Authority. Sciortino explained that right now, all he
needs from the city is a letter of interest in selling the property.
He has a pre-application to be submitted to the IHDA in March. In
that application all he has to have is a letter saying the city will
consider selling the property.
He then said he fully expects that after the pre-application,
IDHA will invite him to make the formal application. At that time
there will be a need for a more solid commitment from the city.
Mayor Keith Snyder said he had already spoken with city attorney
Bill Bates about selling the property and had been reminded the city
has a process they must go through that includes having the land
appraised. After the appraisal is completed, the land must sell for
no less that 80 percent of its appraised value.
Alderwoman Marty Neitzel asked if this was a type of project
Wal-Mart might object to. Snyder said the city has a restricted
covenant with Wal-Mart but that it basically prohibits selling the
land to a company that would be in direct competition with Wal-Mart.
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Earlier in the evening Sciortino had stated his firm typically
looks to build near Wal-Mart stores. He noted the clients they are
attracting with these apartments are households making an average of
$40,000 per year. This is also the average income of the typical
Wal-Mart shopper.
He also noted the apartments will accept a mix of clientele,
including those who would need rent based on income, and all the
apartments will be priced in the range of $250 to $500 per month.
Asked if he felt his apartments were comparable to the Brainard
Landings apartments on the northern side of the city, Sciortino said
he felt what he was going to be building would be nicer homes, but
that yes, they would attract much of the same type of renters.
Treasurer Chuck Conzo asked about how many people could live in
the complex in all. Sciortino said 60 percent of the apartments will
be two-bedroom. On the average that would mean three people per
apartment, or approximately 130 total.
Fire Chief Mark Miller was asked about fire department concerns
in the development, and he said he would need to review the plans
and determine what was needed for the fire codes.
City engineer Mark Mathon said he'd seen earlier plans from
Sciortino and had expressed a concern about a cul-de-sac at the end
of the development. Since then, Sciortino has had the plans changed
so there is a cul-de-sac at the entry to the complex.
Typically cul-de-sacs cause concerns over being able to navigate
large vehicles such as fire trucks through an area. With the change
in plans, the cul-de-sac actually has a pass-through at the back
that will take vehicles into the development. Mathon said the
circulation patterns of the new street plan were much better.
Neitzel also wanted to know if the apartments would have garages
and was told they would not.
As the discussions neared an end, Alderwoman Melody Anderson said
she was excited to see such a development come into the city, and
Snyder said that coupled with the soccer fields already there, there
would be a "finished feel," and it would present as an active
neighborhood.
At the end of the conversations, Snyder asked for next week's
voting agenda to include a motion to write the requested letter, and
he also felt it would be a good idea to go ahead with the appraisal
of the property. That, too, will have to be approved by council
vote.
Sciortino had been accompanied to the meeting by Mike Maniscalco,
Lincoln & Logan County Development Partnership executive director.
When all was finished, Snyder asked Maniscalco if he'd like to say
anything, but Maniscalco declined, saying he felt Sciortino had done
a good job presenting the project and nothing further was needed.
[By NILA SMITH]
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