The City Council of Joliet, Ill., approved zoning changes Monday that would allow a developer to convert a long-closed church into senior housing and a Route 66 visitors center, reported the Chicago Tribune.
St. Mary’s Carmelite Church, built in 1882, had been closed for 20 years in downtown Joliet.
The developer, Celadon Holdings of Chicago, plans to turn the church into a 40-unit independent living complex for senior citizens. Celadon also plans to take advantage of the church’s location on historic Route 66 and have a display on the lower level of the church for motorists traveling Route 66. The proposed name for the development – The Limestone Residences on the Mother Road – also would be a nod to the location of the church.
Construction on the project, expected to cost $10.5 million, would start sometime next year and take about 12 months to complete. The developer hopes to use a mix of private funding as well as federal and state tax credits to pay for construction. The project is eligible for a variety of tax credits including those available for low-income housing and landmark restoration.
Attorneys for a law firm next door objected to the zoning change and said the church was better suited for commercial use. However, councilors noted the church sat empty for two decades, with no takers from the commercial sector.
Council members also noted the project’s value comes not only in the low-income housing units it will provide, but also in preserving a key building in the downtown district.
“We have a chance to save a beautiful building,” Giarrante said.
A recent photo of the church can be seen here.