CHAMPAIGN – The city is prepared to buy several properties at the southeast corner of Neil Street and Bradley Avenue from the Urban League of Champaign County, with eventual plans to redevelop the property.

The city council will consider Tuesday authorizing the purchase of six properties for $250,000.

The council meets at 7 p.m. at the Champaign City Building, 102 N. Neil St.

Five of the properties are on the east side of Neil Street, between Bradley Avenue and Beardsley Avenue.

A property located at 1111 N. Hickory Street that fronts Bradley Avenue is also included.

The properties include the former Community Day Care center, formerly operated by the Urban League, which is experiencing financial difficulties and needs to sell the properties.

The city isn't sure what it wants to do with the properties, but will likely seek requests for proposals at some point "to see what developers have in mind," said Greg Skaggs, community development specialist with the city.

Before the city seeks proposals, it will conduct a study this fall of Neil Street between Interstate 74 and downtown, said Rob Kowalski, assistant planning director for the city.

"The zoning of that property is residential," Kowalski said.

"Although it's on a big arterial street, it's located in a residential area."

Multifamily zoning that would allow smaller apartments is a potential future use, he said.

"I don't think we're giving serious consideration to zoning it commercial, but it's still early and we have to study it," Kowalski said.

The city will consult with the Beardsley Park Neighborhood Association, the Neighborhood Services Advisory Board and the city council before making any final decisions, Skaggs said.

Also Tuesday, the council will cast a final vote on whether to hire TischlerBise Inc. of Bethesda, Md., to study the costs and income generated by new development. The council earlier tentatively approved hiring the firm for $98,000 to conduct the study, which is expected to take six months. The vote was unanimous.

The study could be a basis for the city to impose impact fees on developers to help offset the city's costs of new development, such as the construction of new arterial roads.