Plan to convert long-vacant St. Mary’s Hospital building in DeKalb to apartments survives – for now

A divided DeKalb City Council this week sought to give one last chance to the local developer behind plans to turn the former St. Mary’s Hospital building into apartments.

Three years ago, the City Council approved a zoning change that allows the 103-year-old building at 145 Fisk Ave. to hold 32 apartments, but staff this week recommended reversing that change and putting an end to the possibility.

In the three years since that approval, neither a final development plan nor an extension had been requested by the petitioner, city officials said.

The city should go in a different direction with the property, City Manager Bill Nicklas suggested.

“There are other ideas,” Nicklas said. “I’m not saying that’s the best idea, but let’s get together with the neighborhood and figure it out. And Mr. [Jon] Sauser, who’s the owner, is welcome to join in that. And maybe he could convince us the error of our ways. But as I sit here right now, how many times do you want to be fooled? First time, shame on me. Second time, shame on you.”

The DeKalb City Council decided, however, against taking action on a measure to repeal the proposal, only to postpone the matter until the council’s Sept. 9 meeting.

Dissenting votes were cast by 2nd Ward Alderman Tracy Smith and 5th Ward Alderman Andre Powell. Seventh Ward Alderman John Walker was absent.

The delay was intended to provide Sauser with time to pay fines owed to the city for nuisance and property management code violations.

As of Tuesday, Nicklas said a check was brought in to pay the fines.

Sauser was required to pay both outstanding fines of $1,147.50, which had gone to collection, and an additional $850 in fines, which were in adjudication, city documents show.

DeKalb resident Nancy Dougherty, who lives across the street from the vacant 5th Ward property, said she’s concerned about safety. She said she had contacted her alderman hoping to resolve her concerns, but it didn’t help matters.

“I’m still concerned about debris from the deteriorating building falling off and blowing across the street, possibly hitting one of the many cars that travel on one-way Fisk [Avenue] or any of us walking in the neighborhood,” Dougherty said.

DeKalb resident Sharon Nicola, who lives near the vacant property, said something has to give with the project’s delays.

“There is no viable reason why residents in this neighborhood should suffer because of the building’s neglect,” Nicola said. “Blight spreads. Witness Detroit. We are not Detroit. We are DeKalb. Keep us DeKalb proud.”

Sauser cited several reasons for delays not related to the COVID-19 pandemic, saying it was all about communication breakdowns between the engineering firm he has enlisted, as well as a change to the project’s lead engineer. He’s also had his share of health issues along the way.

“I think we can all understand sometimes constructions get delayed,” Sauser said. “What we really need to complete is the final plat, the landscape design and the lighting design. But beyond that, there’s the architectural plans that have to go, and all that’s been working at the same time in the background.”

Mayor Cohen Barnes said the city is grappling with how to make this development work for all parties involved.

“Like I said, I respect the family name,” Barnes said. “And I respect [the] council’s opinion on we want to move this forward, but we’re not going to tolerate it for too much longer is what I’m hearing.”

Second Ward Alderwoman Barb Larson said she doesn’t want to see a commercial development in this spot, which excites her about the petitioner’s plan.

The property is currently zoned for neighborhood commercial district use, and the petitioner seeks to maintain the zoning change to a planned development residential district.

“If we just leave it in place and Mr. Sauser doesn’t do anything, it might be that somebody else sees it and buys the property from him and develops that,” Larson said.