By Adam Studzinski
NORMAL – A potential land swap between Illinois State University and the Town of Normal would provide land for the town’s new fire department headquarters.
City Manager Mark Peterson said the plan is to trade four smaller town-owned properties for the university-owned 608 S. Main St., which is currently a parking lot. One site Normal plans to part with is the existing #2 Fire Station.
“It’s a perfect location for them,” said Peterson. “But we knew the value of that probably wasn’t equal to the value of the land we’re getting from them because it’s prime land right on Main Street. So we offered up three other properties.”
Normal has been looking for a couple years for a lot to build its new fire station HQ. Peterson said location is the main reason this property stood out.
“It’s strategically located so we can still get our ambulances and fire trucks to the west part of town very easily, but it’s also located right in the heart of campus. That’s our largest call volume,” he said.
The ISU Board of Trustees will vote on approving the deal at their meeting Friday. Normal’s Town Council plans to take up the issue at its Aug. 3 meeting.
Peterson added construction on the new fire station, if the deal is approved, likely would not begin until next year.
Adam Studzinski can be reached at [email protected].
