Woodstock to pay $625K for land by planned hotel after filing for eminent domain

Woodstock is purchasing property that the City Council had authorized the use of eminent domain to acquire.

The City Council earlier this year agreed to go to court to pursue the involuntary acquisition of property at 101-109 South Jefferson St., located next door to a city-owned parking lot at the intersection of Jefferson and Calhoun streets. Woodstock approved plans last year to put a hotel on that property and it’s expected to be completed by November 2026.

The city acquired another property next door to the city-owned lot on Calhoun Street in December for a price tag of $300,000; that property is home to some businesses.

Woodstock authorized the use of eminent domain for the Jefferson Street property in February and a formal case was filed in March.

Woodstock officials have said previously that the city made several offers to purchase the property before the City Council authorized eminent domain, but the offers were rejected.

The Council agreed recently to purchase the property from Throop Street LLC for $625,000. City officials previously indicated they were seeking to use the property for parking, but a memo from Director of Economic Development Jessica Erickson included with a recent City Council meeting materials mentioned other possible uses for the land, including high-density residential or mixed-use developments.

James Rhodes, the attorney for Throop Street LLC, said he and his client had already discussed it and agreed to the settlement. Rhodes said the judge would be notified in court the parties arrived at a figure.

Though some on the City Council had previously expressed concern about looking like bullies if the city went through with eminent domain, the council didn’t discuss the settlement before voting on it.

Eminent domain generally allows public entities to forcibly acquire property that has a public use, with a judge deciding the purchase price if the parties don’t agree on a price outside of court, as appears to be the case with Woodstock’s acquisition.