Almost $24 million in improvements could be on the way to Rock Island public housing projects, but a developer says it will only be possible with tax increment financing.

Rock Island City Council hosted a public hearing Monday night on making the Heather Ridge and Century Woods apartments into TIF districts.

Millennia Housing Management has spent two years working with the city on the idea. Now it depends on City Council’s approval.

“There’s no other way to get the level of depth on these projects that it takes to do this kind of wholesale transformation,” said Mark Ciepiel, a representative from Millennia, at the City Council meeting.

Part of what has led to the two-year process was waiting on a third-party, Kane, McKenna and Associates, Inc., to assess the apartments to make sure they require the minimum amount of  work needed to become TIF districts.

A short version of the report included in the presentation Monday night  shows both apartment complexes exceed that minimum requirement. 

However, Local 4 News wanted more information, so we got the full report. 

Century Woods, which is more than 75 years old, has six out of the possible 13 qualifying factors. Those include: 

  • Lagging equalized assessed value
    • Decline in EAV over past five years
  • Obsolescence
  • Environmental cleanup
    • Lead based paint and lead hazards were found in the apartment complex
    • Asbestos related materials were found throughout the apartments
    • The building is in an area that is exposed to higher than average radon levels
  • Lack of community planning
    • Not enough parking spaces 
    • Confusing street layout, which has been cited as a hazard to emergency responders by the Rock Island Fire Department
  • Deterioration
    • Damaged exterior brick and siding walls
    • Failing window and door frame components
    • Failing building roof areas, soffits, canopies/fascia elements
    • Defects to gutters and downspouts
    • Cracked and damaged concrete entry steps and patio areas
    • Floor areas in many units are in poor condition 
    • Plumbing fixtures in poor condition
    • Damaged curbs and gutters, cracked asphalt paving and potholes in parking lots 
    • Severe surface cracking of extensive areas of pavement
    • Cracked concrete driveways 
    • Crumbling areas of sub-base gravel
    • Areas of loose paving materials
    • Presence of potholes and other depressions
    • Deteriorated playground surfaces and equipment 
  • Inadequate utilities

Heather Ridge, which was built in 1971, meets five of the 13 qualifying factors. They include: 

  • Lagging equalized assessed value
    • Decline in EAV in four of the last five years
  • Obsolescence 
  • Environmental cleanup
    • Presence of asbestos related materials found throughout the complex
    • Building located in area exposed to elevated radon levels
  • Lack of community planning
    • Overcrowded parcels
    • Not enough parking spaces
  • Deterioration 
    • Severely damaged aluminum and siding walls
    • Failing window, window wells and door frame elements
    • Failing building soffits, canopies/fascia elements
    • Defects to gutters and downspouts
    • Cracked and damaged concrete entry steps, stoops and patio areas
    • Floor areas in many units are in poor condition
    • Many units have plumbing fixtures in poor condition
    • Damaged curbs and gutter, cracked asphalt paving, and potholes in the parking lots

The City Council could make a decision on the TIF districts as soon as June 25.