MorningStar Mission has dropped housing from its plan for the former Briggs Street YMCA facility.

Instead, MorningStar will seek city approval for a facility that hosts a day care center, Head Start program, after-school care center and summer day camp.

The future use of the facility would in many ways mirror its former use before the Greater Joliet Area YMCA closed the facility in March 2021, said Sandi Perzee, executive director for MorningStar Mission.

MorningStar Mission would work in collaboration with the YMCA to run the after-school and summer day camp, programs, Perzee said.

“Nothing’s changed except we took the housing part out of it,” Perzee said. “That’s all that’s changed.”

MorningStar Mission, which runs housing shelters for the homeless on Washington Street, planned affordable housing as part of its project for the former YMCA building.

But the Zoning Board of Appeals voted unanimously to reject the plan in January as members objected to added housing for low-income adults close to a facility for children

MorningStar pulled back the proposal before it went to the City Council for a final vote.

The revised plan is on the zoning board agenda for Thursday with a note that it should be tabled until the board’s meeting in May, at MorningStar’s request, “to think about revisions to their proposal.”

Perzee said it was tabled after she was informed by MorningStar’s attorney that the city wanted it tabled. She does not know why the city wanted it tabled but said she did not object.

Perzee, who in the past has handled dealings with the city herself, said MorningStar has hired an attorney after facing rejection on past proposals.

“If I step back and it moves forward, then more power to everybody,” she said.

The proposed use for the YMCA facility would put MorningStar into new areas, especially with the proposal for a day care center.

Perzee said MorningStar plans to make arrangements with the state of Illinois to provide financial assistance for parents who need help paying for day care.

“Will County and particularly the city of Joliet has a lack of affordable day care,” she said.