Two properties in a historic Normal neighborhood are being converted back to single family homes. The houses were previously rented by university students, and there were numerous noise complaints from surrounding neighbors. The Normal Town Council voted to purchase the properties at 513 N. School and 614 N. School, and sell them single family residences for less than the price the town bought them at. Councilman Kevin McCarthy says the town saw an opportunity to better a historic neighborhood.
“We took some non-conforming properties out of non-conforming in the hopes of bringing them back, so the residents can have good homes, and continue to invest in their homes" said McCarthy.
Combined the town will lose $250,000 from the purchases. Councilman Kevin McCarthy says landlords from non-historic neighborhoods have asked them to buy their properties, but that’s not the council’s goal.
“That’s not what we’re trying to do, help out people who want to get rid of their old, dilapidated buildings, ours is to provide you know a historic preservation, community preservation, value preservation, and really bring properties in to conforming with our codes" said McCarthy.
McCarthy says there are now only half a dozen or so non-residential properties left in historic neighborhoods in town.
