Great job by Pete Ladesic!

Glen Ellyn trustees question downtown group

from the article: "Village officials are in the process of considering 17 consulting firms to evaluate the downtown and devise a long-term plan for the area. Officials hope to have consultants on board by the end of the year and a completed plan within six to 12 months afterward, Acting Village Manager Curt Barrett said."

it'll be very interesting seeing how this process works -- not the evaluation process, rather the consultation. moreover it'll be really interesting to see how any solutions are implemented. implementation will require, among many things, property owners' buy-in. hopefully the consultancy brings property-owners into the process very early.

one point of the article is painfully true: GE is many years behind its neighbors in getting this work done.

quote:

Originally posted by Yossarian:
Great job by Pete Ladesic!

Guy sounds like a troublemaker!

Come on, folks. We can't aspire to Lombard's success. This planning process can take years. And it is SO inconvenient to have to document an organization's efforts and successes!

This poor little town cannot do without an effective and knowledgeable village manager much longer. I really hope that the powers that be are turning over stones looking for an excellent candidate, because whoever chose the last one obviously ****** up. I'm also hopeful that the interim manager did not submit his resume for consideration.

I am enlightened and encouraged by the comments that Trustees Ladesic and Armstrong made. I'm in the camp that does not buy much that the EDC's ********* ******** says. I know of at least two business owners that the EDC claimed to have recruited while appearing in front of the village board that simply are not the case. My definition of recruitment may be different than those of the EDC, but picking up a phone when it is ringing doesn't seem like recruitment to me.

On the flip-side, the current administration who two years ago claimed that the problems with the CBD were "cyclical", have been jamming their heads in the sand for the better part of the past 12-18 months. Now we are in the midst of hiring consultants that probably should have been hired well, well, well before there was a perceived problem. I have been pointing out to various public officials for the more than two years the various problems with building condition, garbage pickup, cleanliness, and overall physical appearance in the CBD. You have landlords that are still demanding premium rents for what was once a grand in-town shopping experience. You have rental stock that is substandard at best, decaying at its worst. Hobby retailers and Mom and Pop operations have come and gone with alarming regularity...now, wisely, they just aren't coming at all.

While I am as confused as many about the ins and outs of GE's EDC, I am hard-pressed to place the blame solely on their tiny, rounded shoulders. This is a town whose residents and administration seemingly refuse to relinquish the glory days of the 70's and 80's. The word "progress" simply doesn't exist. The preservationists and some past and present village administrations insist on keeping Glen Ellyn in its old-time, "New England of the Midwest" roots with nary a thought of upgrade and modernization. Beautify downtown? There's $1,000 in the misc. budget...let's put a cheesy fountain (what else will $1,000 buy?) in front of an already perfectly attractive village hall. Idiots.

For those of you that don't feel that a vibrant downtown pertains to you because you shop in Oak brook or Lombard, go ask a realtor who was around 10 years ago and ask them how Glen Ellyn is selling in her present form. See what they say. I don't think you'll like the answer.

Hi,

Thank you, Pete for having the guts to stand up on our behalf. When my parents visited recently, I was embarrassed when we drove through our downtown. They noticed all the vacancies and asked me what was going on. Something has to change. I am not sure how or why it got this way, but this cannot be a 'cyclical' situation. Other towns nearby are thriving.

Keep applying pressure so we can get some answers!

Thanks.

quote:

You have landlords that are still demanding premium rents for what was once a grand in-town shopping experience.

Clam - Does the EDC or the village have any control over rental costs? or are you saying that the landlords should be pressured to keep their buildings clean and updated for the price they charge?

The latter...

Thanks Pete!

Hi,

I don't post here very often; mostly because I am busy with our new addition to the family. I decided to take our 3 year old for a walk in downtown Glen Ellyn and do a little shopping today. We stopped off for a break and I wanted to give him his snack. We tried to sit at one of the picnic tables but had to walk away when this is what we encountered. I took a photo with my cell phone to illustrate my point. You will notice there is another picnic table nearby that was empty. We couldn't sit there either because the three homeless people who were sitting at the other table were swearing so much I didn't want our young child to hear it. Not to mention the empty beer can that was on that table.

Before any bleeding hearts shoot back a nasty post, please - save it. I am really sincere and not trying to tarnish our Glen Ellyn image here on this site. I'd like nothing more than to see our downtown succeed. Matter of fact, I tried, once again, to use the outdoor facilities that are adjacent to our shopping area. Can't imagine what someone thinks as they exit from the train. I do not know what we can do about this problem. Who knows, maybe some don't consider this a problem at all. But I am so tired of this image being what my kids see when we go downtown. It used to be fun. Not anymore.

Can someone write back and tell me how to post the photo here in the body of this post?

I'd also like to send a copy to our EDC.

Thanks.

Try this site. Should work of your computer's photo file...if I am not mistaken. Dan the Man posted it about a month ago. I haven't tried it yet...because if I did...Ted's bandwidth bill would skyrocket.

FWIW, I would think that the EDC/COC/Retailer's Assoc./Go Dowtown!!! are just as miffed as you are by the present state of our downtown area. I'd send a copy to the blind one, our esteemed village president and also to our police chief. We have a full-time police staff that, IMO, has little to do most days. I would think they'd be a little more sensitive to this issue.

Sorry you and your child had to go through that. That's total B.S....I would have been on my cell phone to 911 if it were me.

I've been bitching about PPP for a long time. Bill Holmer is well aware that this park is a problem area. I must admit though, other than Wayne, I have not seen any bums sleeping/passed out in the gazebo, under the tables or on the benches in about 1 1/2 months. I check every A.M. and when I have seen it, I call 911 just like Clam suggests. It's akward awkward calling 911 at first, but after the first couple of calls, it gets much easier.

In the last month, I saw Wayne completey completely passed (outside Einstein's)out to the point where his head was literally in his lap and a partol patrol car just passed right on by. He had to have seen him and did nothing. No big surprise here.

If these bums are cursing and/or drinking, you must call the police and make a record. Tonight, Grace Lutheran is housing, which probably explains why they are all sitting in the park.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bitterboy,