Recommendations coming for future use of vacant prison, steel mill
By Bob Okon bokon@stmedianetwork.com March 14, 2012 11:56AM
Updated: April 16, 2012 8:18AM
JOLIET — The Urban Land Institute Chicago will propose redevelopment options for the old Joliet prison and U.S. Steel sites on Collins Street at a public meeting Monday.
The institute’s report comes after months of research and meetings in conjunction with the city of Joliet and Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.
“The entire community will be welcome to come,” said Christine Kolb, director of community outreach for the institute.
The community already has been involved in the process, having participated in public forums last fall. The institute also did 40 one-on-one interviews with people considered to be stakeholders in future redevelopment of the prison and steel mill sites.
The presentation will be made at a meeting of the Joliet City Council Land Use Committee, which will start at 6 p.m. and take place at the Joliet Area Historical Museum, 204 N. Ottawa St.
While planners and city officials have been involved in the process, the institute’s panel of experts is made up of professionals working in real estate and land development.
The report will be made by David Galowich, president of Madison Realty Group. Galowich chaired the panel that developed strategies for potential redevelopment of the two sites.
The area includes the old Joliet Correctional Center, which sits on 20 acres; another 160 acres of open land owned by the state and part of the prison site; and the 59-acre U.S. Steel site. The prison and steel mill were shut down several years ago, and the aging structures have become a growing concern for city officials.
