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Politics & Government

Batavia Agrees to Million-Dollar Incentive Deal for Walgreens

Incentives also include selling a city parking lot for $1.

The city of Batavia has voted in favor of a $1.14 million incentive to keep Walgreens downtown.

According to an article in the Daily Herald, the city would pay $850,000 in property-tax revenue to help build a new $5 million store and would rebate $293,000 from sales taxes from the new store. An alternative source for the $293,000 would be to extend the life of the tax-increment financing district.

Under the agreement, the city also would sell a city parking lot to Walgreens for $1, the Daily Herald said.

Batavia Enterprises intends to demolish the building at 122 W. Wilson St. (the former Prairie Path Cycles site) and build a 14,490-square-foot Walgreens with a pharmacy drive through.

Last year, the Batavia Plan Commission recommended approval of a conditional use for the proposed drive-through, and the Zoning Board of Appeals recommended approval for several variances, according to a city report.

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The Daily Herald said two aldermen — Alan Wolff and Lucy Thelin Atac — voted against the incentives.

The former hardware store is more than 50 years old, the Daily Herald said.

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In September, Batavia Enterprises Vice President Austin Dempsey told the City Council the project had to be approved by December so that construction could begin in March, according to an article in the Kane County Chronicle.

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