Batavia plans to buy site for food pantry, toy drive
The Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry and Clothes Closet, along with the Access Christmas Toy Drive, are two of the oldest social service programs in the community.
Yet the food pantry’s facilities have always been cramped, and the toy drive has operated from makeshift locations in vacant retail spaces.
Batavia plans to change that by constructing a new facility on the near east side.
The city would buy a 1.25-acre property with a 14,000-square-foot commercial building at 330 and 338 Webster St.
The building, located at the southwest corner of Webster and South Prairie streets, would be razed.
A large open parking area on the west side of the property would be the site for a new building to house the food pantry, clothes closet and toy drive, while the newly opened space nearer to the intersection would become the parking lot.
City Administrator Laura Newman said the property, near the downtown but tucked away in an inconspicuous location, is a perfect fit.
“It checks a lot of boxes,” Newman said.
But first, the city needs to do its homework before buying the property.
The city has $3 million in grant money from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. HUD guidelines for the grant require an environmental assessment to be performed.
If the sale goes through, the intention is to construct a 15,000- to 20,000-square-foot building complete with a loading dock.
The property purchase price and the cost of the environmental review would be paid from the $3 million grant.
“We’re going to use those $3 million as wisely as possible,” Newman told city council members.
In response to questions from aldermen, Newman described plans for the new building to be “as low-cost as possible, but one that would stand the test of time. We may seek added funding to get the project across the line.”
The city would own the building, providing the space rent-free and covering the cost of utilities.
Established in 1981, the food pantry and clothes closet serve Batavia families in need.
Donations come from the Northern Illinois Food Bank, Batavia grocery stores, food drives and individuals.
Volunteers donate their time to sort the donations, stock the shelves and help the clients when they come to shop.
The clothes closet is an integral part of the organization, where volunteers manage racks of apparel and help clients find the right article of clothing in the right size.
Until recently, the food pantry and clothes closet were in a small structure on Flinn Street, next to the wastewater treatment plant.
That building was torn down to make way for an expansion of the sewage facility.
Currently, the two operations are temporarily located in a space leased by the city at 431 Raddant Road, across the street from the Batavia Public Works building in an industrial park.
The toy drive, which dates to 1949, provides holiday gifts to Batavia children and teens in need.