Does anyone know why the results of this study weren't delivered?
Riverside Info » About Riverside
Business District Study - Northern University
(28 posts)-
Posted Monday Feb 21, 2011 15:58 #
-
I beleive this was completed and this was mentioned briefly at a previous meeting. I amnot quite sure if anything came out of it, especially after all of its hype.
Posted Monday Feb 21, 2011 21:45 # -
I asked Peter Scalera, our Village Manager, to post the NIU's final report on the Village web site. It will be available at www.riverside.il.us in the next day or so.
Posted Monday Feb 21, 2011 22:17 # -
The NIU CBD study has been published.
Posted Thursday Feb 24, 2011 14:18 # -
Thank you, mrt, for posting the link. For some reason it doesn't work on my system, so as an alternative, here is the link to the Economic Development Commission page on the Village web site:
http://riversideil.govoffice2.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={5DB8F9C9-829A-490F-B69D-F826EE7114F0}
Posted Thursday Feb 24, 2011 16:23 # -
Are you surprised that this study has not been made public until questions were raised about its status? Could it have anything to do with suggestions in the study raising the question of using a TIF to support the development of the CBD? Why would this seemingly independent and unbiased group come to such a recommendation? Will wonders never cease!
Posted Thursday Feb 24, 2011 17:42 # -
This must be rather embarassing for the RCA.
Posted Thursday Feb 24, 2011 22:11 # -
Do you think they really give a crap what it says or how it makes them look? Their actions on virtually every issue thus far has proven the "it's my ball and we'll play my game' mentality at it's best. I'm sure in their eyes this study is a farce - I mean c'mon - it's done by a bunch of college kids with no real world business experience...they don't hold a candle to the vast depths of worldly business intuition possessed by 'the block'.
Posted Friday Feb 25, 2011 10:34 # -
Times are tough. I was just in LaGrange and saw that Borders folded their big bookstore in the shopping center at Ogden and LaGrange Road. It was underperforming so when they declared BK on Monday they closed it. And there is a Pier One, a Coffee Shop bakery and a TRADER JOE's there which draws large numbers of shoppers to that location. Two of the units across the street where Caribou Coffee and AT&T are located are also empty - and there is a Walgreens there and both have lots of parking. And the train station is right across the street. They have street planters, banners, events, and all the rest, and still established and well-funded retailers are having a hard time.
Studies and stats are fine, but to compare the Riverside CBD to Glencoe or River Forest or Barrington is a bit of a stretch. Those places have lots of traffic, parking, commuters and higher income levels.
There are lots of empty stores all around the LaGrange CBD. If you were going to spend a bundle to fix up a place and open a new business I doubt Riverside - TIF or no TIF, would be a top choice.
Posted Friday Feb 25, 2011 11:55 # -
It's worth remembering that this study came about as a stall tactic by trustee shevitz to postpone any serious discussion about the parking lot on burlington or the restaurant boardwalk idea brought up by Scott over at the chew chew. Shevitz kept saying that "we need a comprehensive plan" and this was his way of pretending to have an interest with the ultimate goal of doing nothing. That is the RCA's modus operandi - do nothing, mention that President Gorman is wonderful and got appointed to CMAP (TOD study), repeat. The real pitch was that the NIU kids were going to do this for free - no need to unnecessarily spend money on those dreaded consultants. Who would've figured those darned kids would come up with a TIF as a way to solve the CBD?
Don, maybe the grand plan is to bulldoze the CBD and re-route the river through it after the dam is taken out? If you could only get President Gorman to answer any of your questions.
Posted Friday Feb 25, 2011 13:13 #
Reply »
You must log in to post.