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March 16, 2023 <br /> TO: Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe & Members of the Decatur City Council <br /> FROM: Scot Wrighton, City Manager <br /> RE: Redevelopment Agreement for Property at North Martin Luther King,Jr. Drive <br /> and East Sangamon Street <br /> Since the closure of the Prairie Farms Ice Cream plant on North Martin Luther King,Jr. Dr.,the <br /> City and the Economic Development Corporation have been working together to locate another <br /> ice cream manufacturer into this facility. We are pleased to announce that after months of <br /> negotiations, we have secured commitments from an out-of-state company who has already <br /> purchased the former Prairie Farms plant, is making plans to retrofit the facility, acquire <br /> adjacent property for future expansion, invest nearly$50 million in the site, and bring new <br /> manufacturing jobs to Decatur. <br /> The name of the ice cream manufacturer will be announced on Monday, along with extensive <br /> background on the company and its plans for Decatur. Company representatives also plan to <br /> meet with local media on Monday. Under the terms of the proposed redevelopment <br /> agreement, the city of Decatur will assist the company in clearing antiquated structures from <br /> adjacent parcels, generally help in clearing and cleaning their campus site, and provide other <br /> assistance as they develop their first Illinois plant. Approval of the proposed redevelopment <br /> agreement not only advances the city's economic development objectives, but it also assists in <br /> neighborhood revitalization by beautifying and eventually cleaning-up an existing eyesore <br /> location in the Near North/Wabash neighborhood. <br /> After a brief presentation and Q&A from the company on Monday night, it is recommended <br /> that the redevelopment agreement be adopted. <br />