A long-vacant building near Peoria's downtown may soon become apartments for the homeless
PEORIA — A proposal to convert the former Methodist College building into permanent supportive housing for the homeless could soon be approved.
The seven-story building, which is adjacent to an OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center parking garage just north of Interstate 74, has been mostly vacant since 2015 when Methodist College moved into the former American Furniture building in Northwest Peoria.
Phoenix Community Development Services, the largest supportive housing provider in the region, wants to convert the building into 55 apartments for adults and families according to a proposal that will be heard Thursday by the city's Planning and Zoning Commission.
Changes proposed for the space
Units will vary in size, from studio apartments to three-bedroom units, and will be leased by tenants, who will also be offered on-site case management services designed to lessen the risk they will slip back into homelessness in the future, according to the proposal. Additional documents state the work to rehabilitate the building will be at least $15 million.
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Officials at the agency did not return calls seeking comment on the project.
In addition to apartments, the building will also have a fitness room, a computer room, library and activity room, according to the proposal by Phoenix.
There is only one tenant in the building, the Methodist Family Child Care Center, which is located on the first floor. The business will not be affected by the project and there will be no interruption to services, according to a statement issued by UnityPoint Health.
The seven-story building was built in 1965 as a hotel and housed Methodist College between 1988 and 2015. It sits on 4.29 acres of land and is surrounded by a large parking lot. The development review board suggested a few changes to the property, including the installation of handicapped parking signs and the addition of bicycle parking and a screen for the dumpster.
'A godsend for many of our brothers and sisters in Peoria'
Support for the project has been broad, with letters of support sent to the city by other social-service agencies and government officials that work with the homeless, as well as other local businesses. Many note that the building has been vacant for several years.
Others note the benefits to the neighborhood nearby.
"This proposed project will be a godsend for many of our brothers and sisters in Peoria that is conveniently located and near public transportation," Daniel Phillips, the director of community ministries at Downtown's First United Methodist Church, stated.
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UnityPoint Health is also supporting the project, according to its statement:
“We look forward to the opportunity to help the underserved in the Peoria area through this conveniently-located facility just steps from healthcare services at UnityPoint Health – Methodist Hospital. We plan to use our talents, skills, and expertise to improve the quality of life for area people.”
If the plan is approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission at its Thursday meeting, it will then receive a vote by the Peoria City Council.
The project is also dependent on grant funding, said UnityPoint spokeswoman Jaymee Barra. If all goes well, the grant and construction process could be completed by mid-2023.
Leslie Renken can be reached at (309) 370-5087 or lrenken@pjstar.com. Follow her on Facebook.com/leslie.renken.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Former Methodist College building in Peoria may house the homeless
