On April 8, residents of Homewood expressed their concerns over the Harwood Avenue transit oriented development (TOD) tax increment financing (TIF) District during a public hearing on the proposal.

According to Homewood Economic and Community Development Director Angela Mesaros, the TIF is meant to generate revenue to finance redevelopment and improvement projects around the village. This will include the village hall and commuter lot, as well as the police and fire departments, Mesaros said. 

The TIF district would consist of 30 parcels. 

• The village hall parking lot at 2024 Chestnut Road.
• The Matrix Building at 2066 Ridge Road. 
• The office building at 17900 Dixie Highway.
• The Harwood commuter lot.
• St. John Neumann Parish’s school at 17949 Dixie Highway.
• The village hall campus area on Chestnut Road and Dixie Highway.

Liz Varmecky was the first to take the stand in front of the Homewood Village Board. 

“Some residents have asked me, do churches pay property taxes? And so, why would a church be included in the TIF if they’re not actually going to be contributing to the TIF?” Varmecky said. 

In addition to questioning the purpose of the inclusion of St. John Neumann in the TIF, she also raised some concern over the Hartford Building. Some members of the Hartford developer team have proposed a new project, a five-story apartment building on the village hall parking lot, which would benefit from TIF funding. 

“I think it’s important to note that the elevator does not work at the Hartford Building, and disabled people don’t have access to the building,” Varmecky said. 

According to the Homewood Fire Department, the elevators were out of order for a day or two a couple of weeks ago, but are in working order now. 

Tim Flanagan, a partner in HCF Homewood, the company that developed the Hartford Building, addressed the concern regarding handicap accessibility in the Hartford Building. 

“Yes, it does offer accessibility. We meet all handicap codes,” Flanagan said. 

Varmecky also expressed her thoughts on whether the deal is being made in the best interest of Homewood. 

“Now that the Hartford Building is for sale, this developer doesn’t feel invested long-term in our community if a year after opening the Hartford Building the property is now for sale,” Varmecky said, adding, “It seems more like a flipper, and less like somebody who actually wants to be part of Homewood.”

According to Flanagan, that is just how the business model for the company operates. 

“The partnership is designed to build and to stabilize quality projects, and then sell them on the market. That’s our business model,” Flanagan said, adding, “Thus far, we have not accepted any offers, so we continue to operate it. There’s no other reason to see if the building will sell or not.” 

Another resident of Homewood, Christopher Craddock, took the stand and shared his thoughts on the use of the apartment building, and the need for a variety of businesses.

“I know there’s a lot of concern over losing current parking. My concern is if this is part of a transit oriented development, then why is it just apartment buildings and not a mixed-use building?” Craddock said. 

“The downtown has some great businesses, but they do not have businesses that would support someone living in an apartment building who does not have access to a car,” Craddock said. 

Craddock also suggested consideration for the idea of possibly implementing a pharmacy or a grocery store on the first level of the building. 

Varmecky had previously raised the question of whether there could be a possibility of a mixed-use building last year at the village board meeting on Nov. 26, to which Mesaros responded. 

“It could be with perhaps another developer, but not at this time,” Mesaros said. 

“Thank you for your concerns. We hear you, we’re taking everything into consideration. This isn’t a done deal as of yet,” Trustee Vivian Harris-Jones said. 

The public hearing is scheduled to continue on May 27.