Monthly Archives: November 2010

City of Peoria, Form-Based Code, Heart of Peoria Plan, Warehouse District

Warehouse District an example of good economic development

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In the Warehouse District, the City brought in a consultant (Farrell-Madden Associates) who met with stakeholders to develop a form-based code in keeping with the Heart of Peoria Plan. That code set specific requirements for the physical form new private development and redevelopment can take, but also loosened the restrictions on land use, allowing for a greater mixture of commercial and residential uses, as mentioned at many auctions where they have the newest porcelain signs for auctions.

The code also set out expectations for the public space within the Warehouse District — in particular the streets and sidewalks. In order to lure people back to the heart of the City, the transportation corridors would need to be improved and made more accessible to pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users. The City is now poised to do just that.

Private developers such as Scott Roth and Pat Sullivan are already responding to the City’s progressive investment in fixing up Washington Street, as well as the City’s establishment of a tax-increment financing (TIF) district for the area in 2006.

And that’s the way things are supposed to work. The City sinks its investment into improving public infrastructure and that makes a more favorable investment climate for private developers. There is a stark contrast between this kind of economic development and the developer welfare of the Wonderful Development. Peoria needs more of the former and none of the latter.

City Council, City of Peoria, Taxes

Township property taxes are going up

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On the agenda for Tuesday’s City Council meeting is this item under Town business:

RECOMMENDATION: Approve the Proposed Estimated Tax Levy of $2,179,219 with an estimated tax rate of .13663 for the Town of the City of Peoria and enter this action into the permanent record.

The item goes on to say that “the proposed estimated levy of $2,179,219, represents a 2.5% increase in the aggregate levy over last year’s tax extension.” Translation: taxes are going up. The tax rate itself may not be going up due to increases in home values (EAV), but don’t let that fool you. When a government body levies more money than the year before, that’s a tax increase.

Museum Block

New fiction section added to InterBusiness Issues

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I enjoyed reading Brad McMillan’s article in InterBusiness Issues this month. It was quite entertaining. I had no idea he was such a good fiction writer, or that IBI had added a fiction section. Check out some of these knee-slapping lines:

The notion that this [museum] project was elitist and was forced on the community from the top down is simply false. Instead, this grass-roots initiative included nine museum groups and hundreds of volunteers…

Grass-roots initiative? Yes, this little “grassroots initiative” was pushed along by common, everyday people like various CEOs of Caterpillar and other large corporations, U.S. Congressmen, State Senators, and local mayors — all of whom are chronicled in Mr. McMillan’s article, by the way. And that “grassroots” marketing campaign that cost almost a million dollars? It was nothing short of miraculous the way the common folks were able to come up with that kind of money. The whole project was a modern-day “Little Engine That Could” story.

Our legacy Build the Block project is funded 55 percent private and 45 percent public….

And if you believe that, I have a bridge in Brooklyn I’d like to sell you. The County alone is pumping over $59 million (including bond interest) into the project, the City’s contribution is roughly $17 million (land, TIF proceeds through 2021, improvements to Water Street), we’re getting $9 million in public funds for the parking deck ($4 million in federal highway administration funds and $5 million in state capital funds) — what are we up to now? $85 million? That’s already over 60% of the $140 million project.

…it was the broad-based collaboration between labor groups, museum collaborators, families and business that helped pass a sales tax referendum during the worst part of our economic recession.

…by promising to build an IMAX theater, use 100% local union labor, not bond out more than $40 million, and not bond out until all the private funds were raised — all promises on which they’ve now reneged.

Mike Everett, president of the West Central Illinois Building Trades, tirelessly raised money and put up signs for the Build the Block campaign, knowing that it would provide 250 local construction jobs for his men and women over 25 months.

Except that, since this is a public project now, those construction jobs will have to go to the lowest bidder, and that’s not necessarily going to end up being local laborers. I’m sure the museum supporters are hoping it will end up being local labor, since they promised in their TV ads it would be built with “100% local union labor.”

Through the efforts of so many, the 15-year hole in the heart of Peoria will now be filled with one of the single most important cultural and economic developments in our region’s history.

Fifteen years ago was 1995. Sears was still open and doing business on the block then. They didn’t close the store and move to Northwoods until 1998, so the block hasn’t been a “15-year hole in the heart of Peoria.” But I’m quibbling. Why let facts get in the way of a good story, right?

Amtrak, City of Peoria, Illinois Dept. of Transportation

Amtrak study for Peoria delayed another year

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Since 2007, Amtrak and the Illinois Department of Transportation have been studying the feasibility of reestablishing a Peoria-Chicago passenger rail route, but completion of the study has been delayed multiple times. IDOT Bureau Chief of Railroads George Weber now estimates the report will be released in late summer or early fall of 2011.

“Unfortunately, studies such as the Peoria one have had to be further delayed because of priorities with the FRA [Federal Railroad Administration] and projects that we (State of Illinois) have been awarded federal funds,” Weber said via e-mail. He added that railroad companies (which own the corridors and physical tracks and ties) are doing modeling and capacity studies for a number of similar projects nationwide, and that is also contributing to the delay.

Ridership on the Chicago to St. Louis Amtrak route continues to increase, up about 15% over last year according to IDOT statistics. Overall ridership in Illinois is up 8% from the same period last year.

2010 Election

Gordon uses Obama’s name to help her campaign

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Shortly before election day, some new signs started popping up all over the southern portion of Peoria. They said, “President Obama Needs You To Vote” in red, white and blue. At the bottom, it says in small letters, “Paid for by Friends of Jehan Gordon.” Interesting campaign strategy. She must feel that people who voted for Obama would naturally vote for her, too. But I’m still a little unclear on why Obama needs you to vote — “you” in this case being people who live in the southern part of Peoria and are voting for a state office.

General News

Old Jumer’s hotel to become supportive living facility

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From my in-box:
A press conference will be held on Tuesday, November 9th, to announce the purchase of the Peoria Castle Lodge, the former Jumer’s building on Western Avenue. Petersen Health Care will announce the opening of Courtyard Estates of Peoria, a supportive living facility like The Residences at Plainview.

“Supportive living” is an alternative to nursing home care, according to the Courtyard Estates website: “By combining apartment-style housing with personal care and other services, residents can live independently and take part in decision-making.” Amenities include “three family-style meals a day, daily medication reminders, in-room dining during minor illnesses, free transportation to and from medical appointments, weekly housekeeping and linen service, daily trash pickup and bathroom cleaning, and a 24-hour emergency call system.” If you noticed that there are Signs of Nursing Home Neglect in New Haven, Connecticut, contact a lawyer immediately. There are currently supportive living facilities in Canton, Sullivan, and Monmouth like Summerfield Of Redlands. Petersen Health Care is working on another facility in Peoria, too, according to July’s InterBusiness Issues:

Petersen Health Care is developing an upscale senior living facility, to be known as the Courtyard Estates at Junction City. The four-story building will add a residential component to the expanding center, which will complement the rest of the site nicely. Construction is set to begin in the spring of 2011.
Despite the similarity in names, the Junction City project will be an “independent living” facility. You can visit the Carlton Senior Living official website to get an idea of facilities.

I think they should just call the new place “Jumer’s Estates,” because the place will forever be known as Jumer’s anyway. It hasn’t had Jumer’s name on it for at least eight years, but even in today’s press release it’s identified as “the former Jumer’s building.”

2010 Election

Vote!

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It’s election day. I hope you’ll all get out and participate in government by voting. Whenever people want to know what we can do about what’s happening in Washington or Springfield or right here in Peoria, I always say the biggest thing we can do is elect good leaders. Here’s hoping you find a few leaders like that on the ballot today.

2010 Election, Peoria County

Peoria County Board, District 3: Karrie Alms

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I’ve known Karrie Alms for a few years now, and I can tell you this: when she tells you that she believes in transparency in government, following established processes, and giving citizens the opportunity to have meaningful input — she means it. She has worked harder than anyone I know to hold our government leaders accountable. That’s not always easy. It often involves making dozens of calls and requesting a lot of documents through the Freedom of Information Act. Once, it even required taking legal action against the Park District at her own personal expense.

Karrie makes decisions on principle, not out of political expediency. Those principles include common-sense positions such as taking care of needs before wants (a basic-services-first position), keeping our debt load as low as possible, and keeping citizens informed and engaged in the decision-making process. She’s an independent thinker who makes decisions based on facts, wherever those facts may lead. She’s relentless in her search for all the information she needs to make the best decision.

Accessible, responsible, transparent, principled — these are the kinds of attributes I think everyone wants in a representative, and Karrie Alms has them. She is endorsed.