Taking in view from Hotel Belleville

For 85 years the big Art Deco building has presided over Belleville’s Public Square. It is a visible link to a good portion of the city’s 202-year-old past.

So far the $12 million plan is encouraging for the former Hotel Belleville to be rehabilitated into apartments for active seniors and commercial space. Returning it to use as senior housing is interesting after the Catholic Diocese of Belleville operated it as the Meredith Home for nearly 50 years.

The Southwestern Illinois Development Authority and Bywater Development are partners on the project. That brings a local group experienced at public financing together with a St. Louis-based company that has a list of projects involving historic rehab projects to provide older people with affordable housing.

Getting the building on the National Register of Historic Places seems to be an important piece of this puzzle to qualify for some tax incentives, but no presidents called it home and no important events transpired there. The building was an achievement in that local business leaders got it built as a way to boost the local economy even with the Great Depression underway, and it was home to several commercial and farm economic groups. It is also a good example of the era’s streamlined architecture.

The greatest thing in its favor is location. Residents would enjoy some great views, live in the heart of downtown and any retail or restaurant ventures should have great visibility.

The greatest thing in its way is location. The building is landlocked and parking is at a premium. The $300,000 budgeted for parking seems to be a pittance and the hope that these “active seniors” don’t have much need for cars seems unrealistic.

The developers are planning to hand the city $500,000, which is also encouraging. But they don’t rule out city help later.

Adding to the local property tax burden, such as by putting 23 years of tax increment financing behind this project, should not be part of city leaders’ plans. Federal tax breaks are our public dollars, too, but at least we’ve already paid them in and we expect a return on our involuntary investment in government.

Hurdles ahead, but this plan so far seems to be a viable alternative to the wrecking ball.

This story was originally published August 2, 2016 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Taking in view from Hotel Belleville."