Since the CBD is clearly a total piece of **** and seemingly, without hope or cure, I have an idea that I will share for 100k less than the experts charge for this wonderful morsel of information.

KNOCK THE WHOLE THING DOWN...EVERY SINGLE BUILDING....AND BUILD HOUSES....BIG HOUSES.

Thanks you.

Certainly sounds like a broken record coming from me, but one has to wonder what would have happened if the current administration had seen the writing on the wall 2.5-3 years ago as many of of did...and pointed out to her. Sorry...them. Would we be behind the 8 ball like we are now? Would we have continued to be the Jewel of the Western Suburbs? Who knows. But the village laid down like a frightened puppy and let the runaway freight train continue down the tracks for an additional two+ years before lifting there heads from the hase and making a cursory move to right the ship. I am none to pleased with former President Wark and his cronies hand-picking these geniuses to run our village into the ground. The dysfunctional culture of ignoring the problem until it goes away has gone on long enough. I hope this town takes a long, hard look at the price we have paid for the apathy that we continue to display every time there is a local election. Streets that seemingly can't get fixed, garbage that can't get picked up, outsiders turning our streets into their own personal freak show. We are a smart group in this village. Time to clean the idiots out and turn things a round.

A town that can't support an ice cream store. Un-f**king-believable. I wonder why? Could it be the condition of the town? The way it looks? Who would want to walk downtown these days unless you need to get to the train? When a franchise like CSC goes bye-bye...that sends a pretty big message to potential retailers. Not a good one, either.

My boys were fans of CSC. I would never go there because I hate ice cream....especially pricey ice cream. They have a message for the village in reaction to the closing:

quote:

Originally posted by GE Fan:
Since the CBD is clearly a total piece of **** and seemingly, without hope or cure, I have an idea that I will share for 100k less than the experts charge for this wonderful morsel of information.

KNOCK THE WHOLE THING DOWN...EVERY SINGLE BUILDING....AND BUILD HOUSES....BIG HOUSES.

Thanks you.

Turn away from the dark side, Anakin. Especially since Padme is about to give birth...

And Clamato, the problem is many things, including factors plaquing all small towns...internet shopping, etc. Electing the right trustees is a start, but also is becoming involved. Heck, look what Go Downtown has done in a short time...

The answers aren't all that difficult... But finding and holding the right team/people accountable and contributing time and effort is. I just hope good people, like many of those on this board, don't get so discouraged like GE Fan did above, and lose interest or stop caring.

You and GE Fan are examples of our best and brightest. If people like you check out, we start losing hope...

Commerce is like a mistress.

It goes where it is invited and stays where it feels welcome.

Clam, Are you gonna put the car away tomorrow?????

quote:

And Clamato, the problem is many things, including factors plaquing all small towns...internet shopping, etc. Electing the right trustees is a start, but also is becoming involved. Heck, look what Go Downtown has done in a short time...

You are a very smart man, 4MP. I seldom disagree with anything that you say. This will not be one of those times. My point is, regardless of occupancy (hey...we could always utilize trompe loile to fool people into thinking the spaces are occupied), the CBD looks like s h i t. Retail in the CBD could very well be a thing of the past, but it is most definitely a thing of the past if there isn't a viable, clean and attractive environment to sell. And this, my friend, is what I have been harping this administration to throw some thinking and manpower into all these years. Clean the area and entice owners to update/maintain their buildings and the situation will be easier to fix. Christ, take a look at the new Chamber of Commerce president's space. There is a guy that you would think would have the ability to sway a landlord into taking advantage of the EDC's $5K spiff for freshening facades. Yet there it sits...disgraceful. Tell me how Elmhurst, Hinsdale, Wilmette, Wheaton and Geneva do it in the age of online shopping? Last I looked, they were thriving.

quote:

Originally posted by GEM:
Clam, Are you gonna put the car away tomorrow?????

Good point. Forgot about that. Yes...I am. Somebody coming to drive it tomorrow and another on Friday.

quote:

Originally posted by Clamato:
You are a very smart man, 4MP. I seldom disagree with anything that you say. This will not be one of those times. My point is, regardless of occupancy (hey...we could always utilize trompe loile to fool people into thinking the spaces are occupied), the CBD looks like s h i t. Retail in the CBD could very well be a thing of the past, but it is most definitely a thing of the past if there isn't a viable, clean and attractive environment to sell. And this, my friend, is what I have been harping this administration to throw some thinking and manpower into all these years. Clean the area and entice owners to update/maintain their buildings and the situation will be easier to fix. Christ, take a look at the new Chamber of Commerce president's space. There is a guy that you would think would have the ability to sway a landlord into taking advantage of the EDC's $5K spiff for freshening facades. Yet there it sits...disgraceful. Tell me how Elmhurst, Hinsdale, Wilmette, Wheaton and Geneva do it in the age of online shopping? Last I looked, they were thriving.

You are far smarter than me, sir.

I am trying to figure out where you are disagreeing with me. I agree with every single word of your quoted post above. Absolutely...cleaning up the place is low hanging fruit. So is figuring out snow removal, imho. Enforcing our vacrancy, solicitation and littering laws seem also to be relatively easy. And adapting codes to promote property owner responsibility can't be rocket science. But who will help get these things done - who will be held accountable? Hopefully the new village mgr. In the towns you mentioned, it seems to be a cooperative effort on many people's/team's parts - government, COC, EDC, Police, residents, property owners, retailers, etc. We need to build that here...again, not that hard, but it takes the right leadership and commitment to make it happen. I love The Bike Shop. They have about $1000 of mine, which is a pittance compared to most of their clientele. The side and back of their store are hiddiously unkempt. As is the back of McChesneys. And when has any of Barone's outdoor space, including the beautiful planter, looked neat and clean, much less attractive? Dirt seems to work for those businesses. And we shop them! My point is only that it is not one cause, it is many. We can address them all, but we can't throw in the towel.
As for ice cream, the village pres. or the village manager or the edc or the chamber (see need leadership, coordination above) should be on the phone to Oberweiss or Grahams or Colonial right now asking them to open a branch downtown. Right now!!!!

quote:

I seldom disagree with anything that you say. This will not be one of those times.

This says that I am NOT disagreeing with you.

quote:

Originally posted by Clamato:

quote:

I seldom disagree with anything that you say. This will not be one of those times.

This says that I am NOT disagreeing with you.

Oh Nevermind

What's funny is Wheaton looked like GE 15 yrs ago. I worked at in Gaede's in H.S. and the Wheaton downtown was terrible.

They've really done amazing things.

If you have only dropped $1,000 at The Bike Shop...you just are not trying hard enough.

quote:

What's funny is Wheaton looked like GE 15 yrs ago. I worked at in Gaede's in H.S. and the Wheaton downtown was terrible.

I said the exact same thing before. my realtor at the time said Wheaton was going to be big in 10 to 15 years.......yup, she said that 15 years ago.

what consulting firm did Wheaton use?

Wheaton had a TIF.

Mention TIF around any elected official in this town and they'll look at you with look of death. Trust me, I've done it numerous times. Mention exercising the Village's right to take via eminent domain and you'll get the same look. Again, trust me.

Imagine the horror if we froze the rates for the school district and the park district...how would they be able to continue to capriciously spend their glut of money if it were a diminishing commodity? What about the kids? What about soccer, splash pads, miniature golf and recreation? How would we survive with portables and without a safety village for the next 5 years? The horror of the thought is enough to make me want to float and stump in favor of another premature referendum smacking of avarice.

Without radical measures and uncomfortable decisions, the CBD will continue to die remain dead and desolate.

4MP, I appreciate the unearned and unnecessary kind words....but this isn't turing around anytime soon. Our CBD failed during one of the best times for commercial development and retail development in the history of the world. The market is getting worse and the economy isn't getting better anytime soon. Get used to what you see on Main Street...strike that, get used to seeing people move stuff out of their Main Street stores. In my opinion, we're teetering on the edge of no return...in fact, I think I may have said that 3 years ago when it was just cyclical...maybe we've now finally tipped.

But what would we know - we're just anonymous message board gripers.

Fan, I usually agree with what you post, however this time I don't believe you have all of the facts of what is happening downtown.

This whole mess started in 1998 when the assessor decided to re-assess the building downtown. The assessments (in most cases with the exception of Mike Formentos buildings) was more than doubled. This increase you know is passed along to the tenant then customer. Most merchants don't have the economies of scale compared to existing competitors (Walmart, Target, Yorktown, Stratford and the Internet) Smart shoppers will always go to get the best deal or in economic terms maximize their consumer satisfaction (sorry no graph)i.e. Lowest price for same basket of goods

The second major problem is the recession we are not having (good sign of a recession is the price of gold goes up) Oh yeah gold has gone up. Anyhow, people just aren't spending.

The third problem is the shopping environment (see 50Cent Tony thread)

The forth is the Village's lack of support in streamlining any process involved in getting an occupancy permit and the outdated zoning.

The village is (and has been for a long time) under very poor inexperienced management I believe the only prerequisite for holding office is residency. Not a degree, no experience nothing . . . . Thus, you get what you pay for.

Eminent domain won't fix the basic issues. If the above doesn't change, nothing will.

quote:

Originally posted by Clamato:

quote:

Originally posted by GEM:
Clam, Are you gonna put the car away tomorrow?????

Good point. Forgot about that. Yes...I am. Somebody coming to drive it tomorrow and another on Friday.

Can I drive it?

Just for laughs, why don't some of us call other Villages and Towns expressing an interest in opening a business there. Make up a business or do it under the pretense of moving your existing business.

See how long it takes to get to the correct people. Do they send you an info packet? Do they point you to available spaces zoned for your type of business? Do they treat you with respect? Are they helpful? You know the routine. Then post your experience. If your really brave, call our Village (I bet you would have better luck booking an American Airlines flight. . . ..

quote:

Originally posted by GEM:
Fan, I usually agree with what you post, however this time I don't believe you have all of the facts of what is happening downtown.

This whole mess started in 1998 when the assessor decided to re-assess the building downtown. The assessments (in most cases with the exception of Mike Formentos buildings) was more than doubled. This increase you know is passed along to the tenant then customer. Most merchants don't have the economies of scale compared to existing competitors (Walmart, Target, Yorktown, Stratford and the Internet) Smart shoppers will always go to get the best deal or in economic terms maximize their consumer satisfaction (sorry no graph)i.e. Lowest price for same basket of goods

The second major problem is the recession we are not having (good sign of a recession is the price of gold goes up) Oh yeah gold has gone up. Anyhow, people just aren't spending.

The third problem is the shopping environment (see 50Cent Tony thread)

The forth is the Village's lack of support in streamlining any process involved in getting an occupancy permit and the outdated zoning.

The village is (and has been for a long time) under very poor inexperienced management I believe the only prerequisite for holding office is residency. Not a degree, no experience nothing . . . . Thus, you get what you pay for.

Eminent domain won't fix the basic issues. If the above doesn't change, nothing will.

GEM:

I think you will see that we agree on most everything re: the downtown if your thoughts are accurately reflected above. However, I go one step further and believe that the current building stock is totally unable to house most of the stores shoppers want to see in our downtown. The current building stock is been poorly maintained and have never been updated. What type of store wants to walk into a dilapidated building?

The threat of eminent domain could/would/should get these landlords off their asses and start getting them to spend some money to update the buildings and invest in the community. If the threat doesn't work, the Village should take it give it to someone who is willing to invest in the CBD. After-all, commercial buildings without tenants aren't worth much....so it shouldn't be too hard to take the whole CBD for a song.

Everyone is praising Wheaton. What have I missed? When I think of the CBD of Wheaton my only thoughts are a few restaurants (we do like The Bank) and The Paper House. Help me out so I can enjoy their success.