After years of delays, a developer is expected to present his final plan to turn the long-vacant former St. Mary’s Hospital on Fisk Avenue in DeKalb into an apartment building.

In November 2022, Jon Sauser, doing business as Fisk DeKalb LLC, got City Council approval to rezone 145 Fisk Ave. in anticipation of gutting the century-old structure to build 32 apartments inside. But progress was slow and the plan has since expired.

Sauser will need City Council approval once again, according to documents released this week ahead of Monday’s DeKalb Planning and Zoning Commission meeting at 6 p.m. at the DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St.

Built in 1922, St. Mary’s Hospital closed in 1965. The building was once used as a girls’ dormitory and then as administrative offices for DeKalb School District 428. In the years since, developers have come and gone without any plans coming to fruition.

Though Sauser’s original plan was approved, he failed to follow through with the required city code process, request an extension or resubmit a new plan, city officials have said.

The City Council has more than once approved extensions to Sauser’s timeline. Most recently, the Council in December declined to reject Sauser’s plan, ensuring again that he had more time to submit his final development plan.

The property owner also failed to correctly secure the vacant building under city code. That has since been resolved and fines paid, according to the city.

The developer also has already met with officials from the DeKalb Fire Department to revise site access for emergency vehicles, according to the city.