Evanston Developer Scott Henry Proposes $80 Million Assisted Living Conversion of Vacant Civic Center

A Chicago-area developer is proposing to convert Evanston's vacant former Civic Center into an affordable assisted living facility, and the proposal has become the most popular idea in the city's crowdsourced redevelopment effort.

Scott Henry of Celadon Partners posted his plan on the city's Putting Assets to Work website in recent weeks. It has earned 41 upvotes, the most of any submission.

"In our view, it's a win-win-win," Henry said. "We've done it many times before."

The proposal targets the 112,000-square-foot former Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center. Henry said his firm could fund an $80 million renovation entirely through tax credits, without requiring city or state money.

A city looks for answers

Evanston launched the Putting Assets to Work program in 2024 with $985,000 in federal grant money. The city is asking residents and developers to submit ideas for three underutilized properties:

• The vacant former Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center
• The Evanston Police/Fire Headquarters
• The Noyes Cultural Arts Center

Users on the city-run website can post proposals, upvote others' ideas, and reply in public threads. The submissions will shape how the city ultimately decides to repurpose the buildings.

Dozens of proposals have been submitted since September. They range from small additions, like a coffee shop at Noyes, to complete overhauls of the Civic Center.

The numbers behind the proposal

Henry told The Daily Northwestern that his plan would create 70 full-time jobs and generate new property tax revenue for the city.

Assisted living costs are a central part of his pitch. He said many existing facilities charge around $11,000 per month. His proposed affordable units would cost just $850.

"By and large, everyone sees the value here," Henry said. "Everybody has a loved one that is facing this dire housing situation, and they all get it."

Celadon Partners has relevant experience. The firm is currently converting Evanston's historic Harley Clarke Mansion into a community venue. It also completed an assisted living facility in Maywood in 2022, according to Henry.

Henry said he has "always" had his eye on the vacant Civic Center. He added that his proposal has been well-received by community groups and elected officials in Evanston and at the state level.

Competing visions

Not every proposal focuses on finance. Other submissions emphasize community use and shared spaces.

Former mayoral candidate Jeff Boarini proposed a 100-unit mixed-income housing development, potentially at the Police/Fire Headquarters. His plan would reserve some units for seniors, low-income residents, and people with disabilities.

Boarini said his idea was motivated by his experience as the father of a son with cerebral palsy. He said his son has faced social isolation even while living in supportive housing in Evanston.

Boarini envisions a "membership community" where residents and fee-paying members of the public can access amenities such as a gym and a theater.

"I thought that was just a very Evanston idea," Boarini said.

On financing, Boarini told The Daily that he has not "thought about it enough" yet. He envisions funding through grants, private contributions, and investor capital.

Actor James Zoccoli took a different approach. His proposal, which earned 27 upvotes, would rent out the city's old properties to film crews.

"A lot of the deficiencies of this building are actually strengths when you're talking about film production," Zoccoli said.

He noted that the Civic Center already contains a wide range of usable spaces, from council chambers and offices to auditoriums and ballrooms. Hourly rental rates for film crews can range from $45 to $500, which could help fund future renovations, Zoccoli said.

"It's going to take years to approve whatever renovations they want to do," he said. "In the meantime, capitalize on what it is."

A tool for civic engagement

Boarini said the crowdsourcing experiment could help bridge some of Evanston's political divides.

"This idea of public input that is genuinely considered and genuinely matters would go a long way to bringing this city together," Boarini said. "We have a number of issues that are divisive right now, and we can get past those if we can find some processes that people believe in."

The city has not announced a timeline for selecting final proposals or moving forward with redevelopment.