March 6, 2024
City Staff is continuing to gather information to share with Councilwoman Hill and our City management team to inform the City’s next steps regarding the sale of the nine City-owned homes on Western and Carleton. We have not yet reached a decision, but hope to do so in the coming weeks as we understand that the community wants to know what will happen next.
As soon as we have information on next steps, we will be reaching out to communicate.
December 15, 2023
The City plans to move forward with the sale and redevelopment of the 9 Central Arlington Heights properties and will bring the request to City Council for approval of the sale in early 2024.
The addresses of the properties are:
• 2201/2203 Western Avenue, 2205 Western Avenue, 2213 Western Avenue, and 2221 Western Avenue
• 2212 Carleton Avenue, 2216 Carleton Avenue, 2220 Carleton Avenue, 2224 Carleton Avenue, and 2300 Carleton Avenue
These 9 properties were listed for sale on August 18, 2023, with a sealed bid deadline of November 30, 2023. Due to the number of questions received from interested bidders, the bid deadline was extended one week and closed on December 7, 2023. Ultimately, only one bid was received. It was for $100,000.00 from Groove Improvement, LLC. The bidder proposes to elevate 8 of the 9 structures if technically or structurally feasible and in accordance with Secretary of the Interior Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. The 9th structure, the newer slab-on-grade home at 2205 Western Avenue, is proposed to be demolished and rebuilt two feet above flood level.
The bid complies with the requirements outlined in the sealed bid purchase agreement and is higher than the appraised value of the property of -$819,031, which took into account the cost to redevelop the sites in accordance with the redevelopment requirements.
The bidder plans to preserve as many of the existing trees as possible, as well as provide flood mitigation benefits through low impact development techniques, such as permeable paving, gutters connected to rain barrel/rain harvesting systems, rain gardens or bioswales, and French drains. The developer is also committed to salvaging to the extent practicable.
As a reminder, the redevelopment guidelines were informed from discussions with neighborhood residents and focused on:
• Redeveloping the properties above flood risk (either by elevating the existing 9 structures, or demolishing and constructing new structures, at least 2 feet above the 100-year flood level, or a combination of the two),
• Demonstrating how redevelopment will not increase flood risk to surrounding properties and how nearby properties will be protected during redevelopment,
• Requiring new construction to have a similar look and feel to the existing homes in the area, and
• Completing redevelopment within 48 months of closing
As you may recall, the bids were to be scored and evaluated by both the City and a community stakeholder group. Since only one bid was received and it fulfills the requirements of the bid package, review and evaluation by community stakeholders is not necessary. Before moving forward with redevelopment, the bidder will hold a community meeting to discuss their redevelopment plans with Western and Carleton Avenue property owners and any interested parties.
As we get closer to bringing forward the formal request to sell the properties for redevelopment to City Council, we will provide the community with an update and the date of the planned Council action.
This sale does not include 2209/2211 Western Avenue or 2217/2219 Western Avenue. These properties were purchased with FEMA grant funding and have already been cleared of structures. They will never be permitted to have permanent structures on them per FEMA regulations. It is possible these two properties could be used as extensions of the yards of the adjacent properties in the future through an agreement with the City. At this time, the City regularly maintains these properties.