Council approves two downtown redevelopment agreements with life‑safety requirements and TIF support

The DeKalb City Council on Feb. 24 approved two development agreements to support downtown property renovations conditioned on required life‑safety improvements.

Resolution 2025‑020 (as presented) authorizes a development agreement with 208 East Lincoln LLC to rehabilitate 206 East Lincoln Highway for restaurant use. City staff said the building’s first floor has been vacant for many years and the project requires installation of a fire sprinkler system and connection to central fire alarms because of updated adopted building and fire prevention codes. Staff said the prior grant related to the property would be defeased by sales tax rather than property tax under the terms before the council and that debt amortization was calculated to meet the council’s 10‑year amortization expectation per the city’s TIF guidelines. Rosa Baye, listed as present for the property owner, was in the audience when the council recommended approval. The motion, made by Alderman Perkins and seconded by Alderman Walker, passed on roll call, 6–0.

The council likewise approved a development agreement with Long Family Management LLC for 323 East Lincoln Highway and 330 East Lincoln Highway. Staff described the larger 323 three‑story structure as an iconic but long‑vacant resource whose first floor spaces have been empty since the late 1990s; the applicant expects to add sprinkler lines for the first and third floors and to convert part of the third floor to additional apartments (increasing units from seven to a proposed 13). Staff said a new sprinkler main installed last fall makes the sprinkler work feasible. City staff noted the sprinkler system cost exceeds $300,000 and the proposed grant is $200,000; the TIF Joint Review Board reviewed the project and reported no dissenting votes. The motion, made by Alderman Walker and seconded by Alderman Smith, passed on roll call, 6–0.

Council members questioned code differences that require sprinklers on the third floor but not the second floor; the city manager and staff explained the distinction involves the building’s existing continuous residential use, adopted code versions and occupancy/assembly thresholds that trigger sprinkler requirements. City staff and Mr. Ferguson (a Long family representative) said they will continue technical coordination with the city’s building and fire prevention staff to ensure code compliance before any work begins.

The council’s approvals are conditioned on compliance with locally adopted codes and the grant agreements’ contractual terms; staff said contractors and owners must follow the city’s building code, fire prevention code and related ordinances when work proceeds.