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DeKalb council approves purchase of NIU building to create downtown parking
Summary
The DeKalb City Council approved Resolution 2026-052 to accept a $1 transfer of a Northern Illinois University-owned building and demolish it to create roughly 59 parking stalls (three handicap), a net gain of about 56 downtown spaces; estimated demolition and remediation costs are $618,000–$670,000.
The DeKalb City Council on May 11 approved Resolution 2026-052 authorizing a purchase-and-sale agreement with Northern Illinois University for a downtown building that the city will demolish to create additional parking.
City Manager presented the proposal, saying NIU would transfer the 1927 property on North Third Street to the city for $1 and recommended demolition to make approximately 59 regular parking stalls, including three handicap spaces, resulting in a net gain of roughly 56 parking stalls downtown. He warned that demolition in the dense downtown block requires care for adjacent buildings and that asbestos remediation and other environmental work will affect cost and timing; the staff estimate for demolition and related work ranges from $618,000 to $670,000 pending bids.
Why it matters: Council and staff said the new lot would improve access to downtown businesses and free up a separate city-owned parcel that has been largely unusable because of track and highway access constraints. City staff noted the plan supports TIFF objectives to bring underused properties back into productive use and to increase taxable value in the district.
Council members pressed staff on accessibility and feasibility. Alderman Walker asked why the plan included only a few handicap spaces; staff said state ADA formulas guided the initial layout and that the design could be adjusted. Alderman Smith cautioned that rehabilitating the building rather than demolishing it would be prohibitively expensive, saying "the rehab for this would be astronomical," and urged demolition as the practical option.
The city manager told the council the joint review board—which reviews TIFF proposals for local taxing bodies—reviewed the plan on April 24 and expressed no opposition. "We recommend your approval," he said.
The council approved the resolution by roll call. Mayor Cohen Barnes noted he would recuse himself from a related agenda item that followed because of his role with a local event organizer.
Next steps: Staff said the city will proceed to bidding and carry out required environmental remediation and demolition planning; a final construction schedule and contract awards were not specified at the meeting.
(Reporting from meeting minutes and council discussion.)
