Beck’s Oil proposal draws discussion, debate as official decision looms

During a special meeting Tuesday night, the Streator City Council reviewed a draft agreement with Beck’s Oil to tear down the former Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and build a gas station, convenience store and car wash.

Under the proposed deal, Beck’s Oil would invest about $11 million total in the site.

The city would reimburse up to $2.57 million through a “pay-as-you-go” tax increment financing arrangement - essentially meaning the company would be repaid over time from a share of new property taxes the project generates, with no upfront city money. The agreement also requires the car wash to be built, or the rebate would be voided.

Mayor Tara Bedei and City Manager David Plyman noted that demolition of the church - estimated at more than $1 million - is a significant part of the project cost.

Council member David Reed brought up the church’s deteriorating condition, with officials noting that no viable preservation proposals have come forward since 2010.

The council also heard from former council member Bill Phelan in public comment, who urged the city to consider how the Beck’s Oil gas station and car wash project aligns with Streator’s long-term planning goals.

Phelan pointed to the city’s comp and downtown strategic plans, which call for preserving historic character, encouraging mixed-use development and improving pedestrian connections.

Notably, Church was Streator’s oldest Catholic church prior to being closed in 2018 and sold to a Chinese group to be used for educational purposes. The Foreign Service (China) Group bought the former Sherman School for Chinese students traveling to the United States to learn English and American culture and the Immaculate Conception Church, but those plans never came to fruition.

Phelan questioned whether tearing down the historic church for this project fits those goals, and warned that those types of developments often don’t bring long-term economic growth.

“Gas stations come and go, tax incentives vanish - but the fabric of our downtown, its character, its heritage, its ability to draw people, once that’s torn - we can’t easily amend that,” Phelan said during the public comment.

While Councilman Scott Scheuer, among other members, agreed with Phelan’s sentiment, he made it clear that the city is running out of options at this point.

“I’d love nothing more than to see something else done with that property besides a gas station, but I think at this point it’s not viable unless we find someone that has an endless bucket of cash,” Scheuer said.

Looking ahead, the council is expected to vote on the proposal during next week’s meeting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at City Hall.

If approved, demolition on the church could begin this winter, with the city and county tax assessor estimating the project could generate roughly $150,000 in property taxes annually.