DeKALB – In the lead-up to Monday’s meeting, 7th Ward Alderman John Walker said he plans to throw his support behind a planned vote on the Foundation’s Center for Greek Life. His remarks came Monday during the second of what Walker has said are four planned 7th Ward meetings this year. Among those in attendance for the meeting were Mayor Cohen Barnes and community services coordinator Jennifer Yochem.
Walker described the effort to redevelop the corner lot at West Hillcrest Drive and Blackhawk Road as being a lot like gambling. “To have a building like that there and to hope to get other people to want to build around it, I think that’s a beautiful idea,” Walker said. “I think that people in that area don’t understand that, which I understand, because they don’t understand the variables it takes to get some of things they want and some of the money it takes.
But hopefully, I’m thinking that this will be a magnet to one of the other things to get there. That’s all I can hope for. It’s gambling.
Everything is. We pray and hope that it works.” A real estate and purchase agreement for the property is expected to be put to a vote at the City Council’s July 22 meeting after .
At the time, two council members – 3rd Ward Alderman Tracy Smith and 5th Alderman Andre Powell – were absent, and the mayor wanted to ensure a supermajority, or six affirmative votes, could be had to move the project forward. Walker criticized 1st Ward Alderwoman Carolyn Zasada,.