87-89 REZONING PROPERTY DOVE, INC. - 788 EAST CLAY STREET

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, . .. • In support of this request , peti�ioner hereby submits to the City Plan Co�nission and City Council .the follow�ng facts: Dove, Inc., an Illinois not-for-profit corporation, is purchasing the property located at 788 East Clay St., Decatur. The property is the site of a building formerly used as the St. James Convent. Constructed in 1958, the structure has been vacant for the past two or three years, and it will make an excellent shelter for pove. Dove plans to use about 85X of the 10,000 square-foot facility for a residential shelter, with the remainder housing workspace and offices for other pove-managed programs. The City of Decatur, through its Coannunity Development Block Grant Program, has earmarked $50,000 toward the acquisition and retiabilitation of the convent, and other financial support is coming from the UPS Foundation and the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The location is well suited for a domestic violence shelter, located � within easy walkin� distance o� the downtown central business district and ' in an area with a number of retail stores and restaurants in the immediate vicinity. The site will serve the needs of Dove and its clients. The property is currently zoned R-6, and Dove is requesting a rezoning to the 0-1 classification. Irrespective of Dove's plans for the property, we believe the 0-1 classification is the most logical. It sits beIIween St. James Catholic Church and St. James Credit Union. The Credit Union applied �or and received 0-1 zoning in 1975 when it built its office im�nediately to the eas.t of 7a8 E. Clay. The 0-1 classification will allow the property to continue to serve as a buffer between the predominantly residential area to its immediate south (along the south side of Clay St.) , and the predomi- nantly commerical area to its immediate north (along E. Wood St.). We believe the property is adequate for pove's needs, and that it offers sufficient yardspace and off-street parking to meet our requirements. Dove has agreed to purchase the site from the Diocese of Springfield, subject to our receiving rezoning to allow us to use the facility as proposed. A building utilization plan and a site plan have been filed with the Dept. of Community Development. _ DOVE, INC. . � � Fred W. Span us, Executive Director