NORMAL - The Masonic Temple would become the property of the Town of Normal and the Masons would build a building at One Normal Plaza under a redevelopment agreement the City Council will consider Monday night (tonight).

The council also will consider a "memorandum of understanding" among the town, Heartland Community College and Normal Professional Baseball LLC, headed by Michael Veeck, for a minor league stadium and baseball team.

Under the first proposal, City Manager Mark Peterson said, the town would buy the Masonic Temple, 102 Broadway, for $500,000, some $85,000 over appraisal price. In addition, the town would give the Masons land behind the former Illinois Soldiers' and Sailors' Children's School gymnasium and west of the power plant, and contribute $240,000 toward a new building.

"We'd have an equity interest in the building," he said. "If they sold it or changed the use of it, we would recover that money."

The current temple building eventually could become part of a mixed-use building planned by One Main Development of Champaign. That building, to be called Uptown II, would face the roundabout planned at North and Beaufort streets and Constitution Boulevard, flank the west side of the boulevard and have another face on College Avenue.

"It remains to be seen if it (the temple building) would be razed or incorporated into Uptown II," said Peterson.

Members of the Masonic Temple hope to take some architectural features from the front of the 1925 building to use in the new building, he said.

Peterson said the town has been negotiating the deal for some time after learning the fraternal organization was interested in selling the building because of ongoing maintenance and accessibility problems.

A representative from the Masonic Temple could not be reached.

Peterson said the lodge received a bid of $744,783 for construction of a new building, $244,783 over the proceeds it would receive from the sale of the old building. Because the lodge has no other funding, the town would contribute an additional $244,000 and retain a nearly 33 percent interest in the new building.

While the contract gives the Masons a year to finish their new building, Peterson said he expects construction to begin sooner if the pact is approved by the council.

Minor league

Meanwhile, the three-party pact involving a minor league baseball team would require the town to complete any needed public improvements near the site at Heartland Community College, including turn lanes and traffic lights, and to construct a 1,000-space parking lot.

The town can charge for parking and lease spaces to generate revenue.

Veeck's group would be required to develop a stadium that accommodates Heartland's athletic needs by spring 2009 and the minor league baseball team that will be developed by Veeck's group. The team would be affiliated with the Frontier League and would start play in mid-May 2010.

The stadium would have a minimum of 3,500 self-rising chair-back seats and accommodations for another 2,000 spectators in picnic and playgroup areas. There would be a minimum of eight luxury suites. The playing surface would be artificial turf.

Veeck's group has agreed to invest a minimum of $11 million in the stadium.

Heartland would provide a long-term, 25- to 30-year lease for $1 per year and contribute $3.5 million toward the project.

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GO!

What: Normal City Council

When: 7 p.m. Monday (today)

Where: Council chambers, City Hall, 100 E. Phoenix Ave., Normal