Danville True Grit project ceases, Tilton site to see addition

Aug. 23—True Grit Fitness owner Matt Stines said his unfinished Danville project is now done; it's not going to happen.

Just a few weeks ago, Stines said he wasn't abandoning the project and he still hoped to see the project to fruition. However, communication between the new design team, developer Paul Offutt and city officials halted again last week.

The project along North Vermilion Street in Danville which started and then stopped construction due to permitting and other issues now will not happen.

According to Stines, plans are now to add onto his Georgetown Road site in Tilton with an athletic training facility and batting cages. Construction is anticipated to start this fall.

Stines last month said he wasn't ready to give up on the project that had stalled over an Illinois Environmental Protection Agency permit for land disturbance and other issues with the city.

It's been about nine months since Stines received approval from the Danville City Council to construct the new facility. He hoped to open the new site by May. Stines' True Grit Fitness location in Tilton has been successful for him.

Despite some neighbor and aldermen concerns on lighting and traffic, the Danville City Council approved amending the city's zoning map from B-2 Highway Commercial to B-3 General Commercial zoning for the vacant property at North Vermilion Street and Devonshire Drive for an athletic training facility that was to include a gym and batting cages.

Stines had said the athletic facility's proposed entrance had been pushed back on Devonshire Drive due to talks with the state requiring it to move 100 feet back from Illinois 1 because of traffic stacking issues.

The Danville site is 2.3 acres north of Devonshire Road on the west side of Illinois 1/Vermilion Street.

Initial construction started, then halted on the 14,000-square-feet building.

There were disagreements between the development team and city officials.

Stines said the city kept adding more to the to-do list.

Offutt Development owns the property, built the True Grit facility in Tilton and started construction on the Danville building.

Ward 6 Alderman Jon Cooper asked about the project at Tuesday night's Danville City Council Public Services Committee meeting.

"Could the city have done anything different to help these guys out to stay?" Cooper asked, saying he continues to be asked that question by the public.

Danville City Engineer Sam Cole said he didn't know what the shortcoming is on them staying or not.

Cole shared correspondence with the aldermen to show where the city stands.

Cole said project representatives sent plans to the city Aug. 10 and the city did a preliminary review of the plans that day. The city responded to the project consultant, indicating there were some discrepancies the city would like to go over with them.

There was a call with the consulting firm on Aug. 11. The city has then been waiting on a more detailed call with their designer.

On Aug. 15, Cole said he received an email from the developer, Offutt, referencing the now found inconsistencies and Offutt asked for an itemized list of them.

Cole said he responded to the email within about two hours, saying the city doesn't intend to assemble another detailed list at this point, and Cole attached an email with a list of all the specific items required, that was provided to the prior and current consultant, to see what is missing.

Cole said the property boundaries are not surveyed, easements are not indicated, proposed contours are incomplete and do not match drainage plans. Proposed drainage outlets and underdrains from the pond are not all feasible. There may be off site impacts that are not accounted for as the contours are incomplete and do not show how or where they meet existing grades. The utility plan is incomplete. There is no landscape plan, etc.

Cole said the city's correspondence stated the city expected these "obvious discrepancies" will lead to significant revisions to the site plan and drainage design.

Another meeting wasn't scheduled, and Cole said he heard nothing back.

Cole said there had been requests for the city to generally provide waivers on the project for no specific items, maybe for all items.

Cooper said he's heard that the city's been hard to work with, and now the city will have a property that will remain vacant.

"None of us like it. We think that it's a terrible situation," Cole said. "I can assure you that we are not perfect, but we strive extremely hard to maintain a friendly working environment."

Cole said with other consultants and developers surveyed about their experience working with the city, their feedback is generally complimentary.

"I think there are a lot of hidden items that none of us understand in this situation," Cole added, saying that he wasn't going to speculate.

He added on the city's end, it's a lack of project documents that the city needs to show that the project meets city ordinances and gives city inspectors the ability to ensure that the project protects the public's health and safety and the interests of the adjoining property owners.

Cole said as far as he knows the city had no roadblocks to stop the project, but he said that's not those on the project side's opinion.

"The roadblock is the developer," Danville Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. said. "Some folks believe that the rules do not apply to them and that they refuse to follow the rules, and we require everyone to follow the rules.

"Some people believe that they don't have to meet the law, and that's very unfortunate," Wiliams said.

He said he was excited for the project, and the city wanted to have it here.

Williams said it's the city's job to protect everyone's safety, such as the potential for flooding in a neighborhood if something isn't constructed properly.

Cooper said the city's got slammed on this project, with the public's opinions.

"Facts do not convince people if they're unwilling to listen," Williams said.

As everyone knows, Williams said, the developer, Offutt, is suing the city on other matters, and Williams said it's in Offutt's interest to make the city look as bad as possible.

"Unfortunately, he's holding my friend and her family hostage for his own agenda," Williams said. Williams said he's been friends with Stines' wife.

The project had applied for building permits, but not received any.

There were no plans for the building's elevation, where it and the parking lot would drain to, how utilities would get to the site, do they have rights from the township and Illinois Department of Transportation or to connect to the water main, or adequate capacity on the sewer system? These plans also are required by the other entities.

The city can't have an unpermitted slab on a site, city officials also said, which could be a finable offense.

"We didn't put us here," Cole said.

Offutt could not be reached for comment.