Glen Ellyn to give downtown big makeover
By Hafsa Naz Mahmood | Daily Herald Staff

"Concern about the state of downtown Glen Ellyn has village leaders pushing for a study of the area.

Village officials have been collecting feedback about the downtown from residents and business owners. The list of comments include concerns about lack of parking, a rise in vacancy rates and a reduction in foot traffic.

Now village leaders are searching for consultants to conduct a downtown Glen Ellyn strategic plan study.

A timeline hasn't been determined. But once the study is completed, approved ideas will be added to the village's overall comprehensive plan.

Acting Village Manager Curt Barrett said a study of the downtown hasn't been done in decades.

"We're looking to put together a team that would have the expertise to really help us do a good job of conducting an overall study of the situation we find today," Barrett said.

Consultants will determine what types of opportunities the village has to upgrade, improve infrastructure, promote redevelopment and address certain issues, such as aesthetics and parking.

Barrett said the hope is to get a full picture of what the downtown has to offer and determine how to draw people to it.

The village already has included $50,000 in its budget for downtown development. Officials anticipate additional money will be set aside in the next budget cycle for completion of the plan.

After consultants finish the report, village officials expect to have information about marketing strategies and branding ideas.

Other possible suggestions could include whether a parking garage is needed and if it's necessary to improve the existing transportation infrastructure.

The plan calls for village officials and the consultants to have public hearings with residents, store owners and members of different downtown groups to obtain opinions.

"I think the process will be very inclusive on getting feedback from the different stakeholders," Barrett said."

By the way the village is acting...you'd think some of us have been complaining for the past few years.

Old news Clam.

Although....come to think of it...this sort of flies in the face of the earlier thinking of our village president when she said that these problems were "cyclical". So...why are we spending money when the situation will most likely right itself by Christmas? Seems a waste.

quote:

Originally posted by bitterboy:
Old news Clam.

Yes....old as dirt....but warrants level-headed discussion...if possible.

What we need is someone the courage and power to lead the downtown into this century. The downtown has had the same old problems for at least ten years (as long as I have lived here). This would be a good fit for the right Mayor.

We need parking!!!!!! (maybe a garage for the commuters to the east and let the shoppers park where the commuters park now). We need business friendly zoning rules with a town that does whatever it takes to attract good businesses,not stand in their way!

We don't need a study to tell us it has very limited parking and is not an easy place to start a business. We don't need to hire someone to tell us it is difficult to get a business stated in this town because of all the red tape they must go through. Let the busineess invest money in new buildings (yes, tear down the decrepit ones) that will be attractive for the next 50 + years and more suitable for business.

Let capitalism take over! Get rid of all but the most important rules and reinvent this downtown!!!

quote:

This would be a good fit for the right Mayor.

I have someone in mind and he lives in the coveted Lake Ellyn area. He's a connoisseur of fine vodkas and a collector of vintage German automobiles. Women adore him and men want to be like him.

quote:

Originally posted by Yossarian:

quote:

This would be a good fit for the right Mayor.

I have someone in mind and he lives in the coveted Lake Ellyn area. He's a connoisseur of fine vodkas and a collector of vintage German automobiles. Women adore him and men want to be like him.

One small....well big....problem with that:

Look at the size of that boy's heed.

Shhh!

I'm not kidding, it's like an orange on a toothpick.

Shhh, you're going to give the boy a complex.

Well, that's a huge noggin. That's a virtual planetoid.

Shh!

Has it's own weather system.

Sh, sh, shh.

HEAD! MOVE!

I'm not kidding, that boy's head is like Sputnik; spherical but quite pointy at parts! Now that was offsides, wasn't it? He'll be crying himself to sleep tonight, on his huge pillow.

LMAO

The kids could decorate his head at the Christmas festival.

*SIGH* You hijackers have a point. God, that looks just like me.

Parking....assume we build a parking deck. Another project Glen Ellyn has absolutely no money for. Where would it go? What would be an acceptable distance to walk from the parking deck to businesses? FWIW, I have never had a hard time finding a place to park within a couple of blocks of my destination. That could be because there haven't been many destination stores to clutter up the streets with auto traffic. Especially on the weekends, don't the municipal lots at Joe Wark Clock Park, behind the firehouse and over by Mc & Miller suit our needs? No parking deck would be any closer than either of those spots...where there is ample parking most days...so why is that the key to saving the CBD?

i have a really important question about that article, clam. were the paragraphs really only one and two sentences long? what a waste of paper! can we discuss that for a bit in another thread?

ok, carry on with your downtown improvement brainstorm/barking. btw, my vote is bring back the Woolworth's. best fries in four counties -- huge plate of 'em for only a quarter! plus you could suck the helium tank for free.

The Village really, really needs to look at the impact the PADS program has on peoples' experience in our community. Morning, noon and night, this is an very visible issue as dozens of temporary visitors lounge and loiter on nearly every corner in the business district. Unfortunately, I am not exaggerating for effect here. Isn't there any oversight of or goal to this program, such as getting people on the road - and I do mean on the road - to self sufficiency?

ahhh the ol' NIMBY cry.

here's a silver lining viewpoint: perhaps the homeless land here becasue there are so many giving, caring citizens living here? the type of charitable people the homeless aren't finding in neighboring communities.

say it loud and say it proud: "we're better than you [insert close-minded western suburb here]!"

this should start a good discussion.

also, i hope the development plan ensures every building is only designed in a beautiful tudor style. that won't clash with the "vagrants'" raddedy, middle-ages look.

A.K.A. suckers

Mr. T.A. Super:

The article appears as printed/posted on the Daily Herald site. The Daily Herald, as you may realize, is not a very good paper...and I believe they have cut back on the editing staff.

Anyway...back to our mission...rebuilding the CBD. Does anyone have any suggestions that don't involve matching architecture with the PADS populace?

Anyone?

I think you know I am not necessarily interested in a parking deck as I feel parking is a red herring...and the commuting public would probably be against it.

So...what about acquiring out-of-date/eyesore properties and leveling them? All in favor.....say aye.

quote:

Originally posted by Clamato:
*SIGH* You hijackers have a point. God, that looks just like me.

Only a bit of fun, you silly git.

Parking....assume we build a parking deck. Another project Glen Ellyn has absolutely no money for. Where would it go? What would be an acceptable distance to walk from the parking deck to businesses? FWIW, I have never had a hard time finding a place to park within a couple of blocks of my destination. That could be because there haven't been many destination stores to clutter up the streets with auto traffic. Especially on the weekends, don't the municipal lots at Joe Wark Clock Park, behind the firehouse and over by Mc & Miller suit our needs? No parking deck would be any closer than either of those spots...where there is ample parking most days...so why is that the key to saving the CBD?

I'm seeing a campaign slogan out of this-"Clam-Bringing common sense to an uncommon town" I'm feeling it my friend.

BTW-If you have skeltons, we better start a slush fund to take care of any potential "unpleasantness". We can start with your college years and work forward. BitterBoy is onboard,too. Just give the word.

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

quote:

Originally posted by Clamato:
Mr. T.A. Super:

The article appears as printed/posted on the Daily Herald site. The Daily Herald, as you may realize, is not a very good paper...and I believe they have cut back on the editing staff.

Anyway...back to our mission...rebuilding the CBD. Does anyone have any suggestions that don't involve matching architecture with the PADS populace?

Anyone?

I think you know I am not necessarily interested in a parking deck as I feel parking is a red herring...and the commuting public would probably be against it.

So...what about acquiring out-of-date/eyesore properties and leveling them? All in favor.....say aye.

oh, now you're all business-like. fun and games on your terms only, clam?

"our mission"? you're funny. as if you're going to do something about it.

you know my feeling about the dying brand that is GE. i will say, though, i can think of a ton of "disruptive innovation" that would revitalize the downtown district. i get paid handsomely to do that with bigger challenges than GE. give my team and i a few months with that data they've just collected and we'd be recommending more than razing a few dilapidated structures (yeah, i'm lookin' at you soukups). we would have a very clear-cut, citizen-validated solution and a timeframe for implementation. hell, if paid enough, we'd oversee the actualization as well.

but the solution isn't based on my wishes alone (like you're asking for here). it would be calculated, citizen-driven innovation. not just what a few posters rant about.

one very radical idea, though: forget about the pipe dream of attracting national brands as anchors to town. i work w/ these types every day. they ain't comin'. we're too small and too far from the major highways. secondly, we've proven that we don't have the personnel w/in our EDC to attract, convince and negotiate w/these brands. hell, it's not the EDC's fault alone, the brand is dying because the landlords are allowing it to. in fact, the landlords wouldn't understand branding if it strode up and introduced itself.

so here's my radical idea: screw retail as a downtown destination choice. leave that to wheaton, geneva and naperville. we'll never be able to compete with them. we're 30 years behind them as it is. i suggest we rebuild/rebrand/refocus downtown GE to be a community w/in a community. one comprised of slick, well-planned multi-family housing developments, and top-notch restaurants and grocery stores. seriously, couldn't we substitute the current meager tax income from these go-nowhere businesses with healthy residential tax generators? my guess would be yes. but as stated earlier, i need to see all the data first. i hate ideating w/o clearly defining the need-states first. it's marketing masturbation when you do.

but, now that i have, let the barkin' begin.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: t.a. superette,

here's another radical idea: move the downtown fire station to five corners where that eyesore of an abandoned gas station is (btw, did you know that was the site of illinois' very first self-serve gas station? good ol' jim thompson was there for the ribbon cutting and everything.) and replace it with condos w/a 5-star restaurant on street level. that's prime real estate, baby. why waste it? i can see why we needed a fire station there 100 years ago when fire was more a common concern downtown. but nowadays? no way. move that sucker.

how am i doin', clam. do these ideas fit w/in your "mission"?

Gas station land already spoken for and the fire department sits on donated land and the agreement only allows for village use, not private use. Station ain't going anywhere.

quote:

Originally posted by Fish:
Look at the size of that boy's heed.

Shhh!

I'm not kidding, it's like an orange on a toothpick.

Shhh, you're going to give the boy a complex.

Well, that's a huge noggin. That's a virtual planetoid.

Shh!

Has it's own weather system.

Sh, sh, shh.

HEAD! MOVE!

I'm not kidding, that boy's head is like Sputnik; spherical but quite pointy at parts! Now that was offsides, wasn't it? He'll be crying himself to sleep tonight, on his huge pillow.

You forgot.... "Woman.......paaants......nooowwww!"

quote:

Originally posted by Clamato:
Gas station land already spoken for and the fire department sits on donated land and the agreement only allows for village use, not private use. Station ain't going anywhere.

What's going on with the gas station?