The Homewood Village Board approved a Cook County Class 8 property tax incentive for Munir Bawadi, who plans to develop a Mediterranean restaurant at 18155 Dixie Highway at the Feb. 24 meeting. 

According to Angela Mesaros, Homewood economic and community development director, the village purchased the building in October 2024 after it had sat empty for years and accumulated unpaid property taxes. It remained vacant until the village entered into a sales agreement with Bawadi in October 2025, which included a requirement for the village to support a Class 8 designation. The property was officially transferred to Bawadi on Feb. 12, 

The Cook County Class 8 program is intended to encourage commercial reinvestment in areas struggling with high property tax burdens. Properties that qualify receive a reduced assessment level for 10 years, with the option to renew, Mesaros said. 

The Dixie Highway site is located in Thornton Township, one of five Cook County townships eligible for automatic certification under the program, she said. 

The redevelopment is expected to address longstanding maintenance issues and return the property to productive use, Mesaros said.