From the April issue of Junction City News:
Junction City is Growing!
The last walls of the old Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) building on Knoxville came crumbling down in early February, marking a major transition point in the expansion of Junction City. Where the IDOT building stood will now become parking and retail space for a new addition to Junction City.
The warehouse building, located directly behind Junction City’s current shops, will be divided and turned into new retail stores, with a cozy “main street” feel, continuing the unique and historic atmosphere for which Junction City is known and loved (see the rendering of proposed changes below). This space will be filled with new restaurants and unique shopping opportunities in the next year, and will be supplemented by new retail and mixed-use construction on the land formerly occupied by the Grandview Hotel.
Like it or hate it, it’s their money, and they can build what they want. But like I’ve said before, I just expected something with a little more style from Junction Ventures. And come on, the rhetoric isn’t fooling anybody — this is not a “cozy ‘main street’ feel.” It’s a strip mall. A plain, cookie-cutter, run-of-the-mill, dime-a-dozen strip mall. The kind that David Joseph always builds. Call it what it is.
Heck, this will make it a lot easier for Pioneer to drop off all of the many shipments they’ll be making to Junction City. A strip mall means easy loading docks, all in a neat row, across the back. Gee whiz, Guy Brenkman must be countin’ the moolah about now, don’t you think?
Guy Brenkman is not involved with the daily happenings of Pioneer Industrial Railcorp anymore.
It’s not worth it SD, some people are just incapable of accepting the facts.
I think it looks fine. What do you want it to look like instead??
New retail space? Do we really need that? We’ve got a lot of empty shells in Sheridan Village, Pioneer Parkway is littered with empty big-box stores, that giant empty multi-story development in Peoria Heights has tumbleweed blowing past it, and there’s always a few empty places at the Shoppes at Grand Prairie. But yeah…we need more retail space.
The market decides if we need new anything. Do we really need new hotels, restaurants, retail shops, home improvement stores, gas stations etc.? That is a great location with high traffic counts with thousands passing by daily. Mike Lewis’s development in the Heights was just poorly thought out. Proves just because it try’s to be quaint doesn’t mean it will be successful.
Peoriafan-
Beth and Alexis Khazzam have done a wonderful job of updating and attracting upscale retail to Junction City. I applaud them for their investment and the improvements they have made, yet it is still a shopping center oriented towards arriving by automobile. They are at a major disadvantage because Peoria does not have anyone currently working in city planning that can guide them to create a great place. They are not urban planners. This is all new to them.
The new addition (as shown here) disappoints me because they are missing an opportunity to create a pedestrian scaled mixed-use development. Yes, I realize the people living close are able to walk to Junction City, but once they reach the center they still have to maneuver through parked cars. When it is all said and done- it is still walking through any large parking lot. When you get to the board walk it does feel nicer; however, if designed with a pedestrian focus the area could eventually become much more like a village.
As new projects come forward builders could be encouraged to imagine them from a traditional town planning viewpoint. Buildings close to the street with wide sidewalks and installed street trees could start to replace the current strip mall design. Even when embellished with awnings and false facades they do not create the type of experience you would welcome as a pedestrian- they seem fake because they are. The reason traditional Main Streets are successful is because they naturally, through design, create an environment good for both pedestrians and people arriving by automobile.
Think about how the two blocks of Peoria Heights work. You have two full blocks with businesses on either side, sidewalks, some trees not enough) and a road for cars. People living close can walk all the way to the business on a sidewalk and people living far away can drive. In this case, facing the project toward Knoxville would not be ideal if the developers were hoping to eventually create a mixed-use type of development. If they faced the project inward and build a street going perpendicular to Humboldt it would be a more inviting place. Maybe that is what they have planned. Maybe the drawing is deceptive. I guess time will tell. Wouldn’t it be better if the city had a vision and they were given some help to get it accomplished?
Peoriafan- In response to your recent post about Mike Lewis’s project:
He would have benefited from traditional town planning expertise. His project is a strip mall on steroids. I agree it is terrible and I doubt it will ever be successful. Heritage Square is regrettable.
As someone getting to relocate to Peoria from Chicago (my husband is a Peoria native), I am somewhat encouraged to know that there are Peoria residents who appreciate the benefits of a pedestrian friendly city/environment and are actively attempting to turn the city around in this regard. At the same time, I am discouraged by how many people either “don’t get it” or don’t care. The ability to walk from one’s home safely (and hopefully in an attractive setting) to businesses, schools, parks, etc is an characteristic of many cities/neighborhoods that many, many people find incredibly compelling. I can tell you it is one of the primary reasons many, many people living in Chicago proper do not and will not move to many suburbs – they’re not pedestrian friendly enough.
I’m not sure what it’s going to take to get more momentum going – but even astronomical gas prices don’t seem to bother many people. I think Peoria has a great deal of potential, but unfortunately, the people who have noted that the city is sorely lacking enough (or any) progressive, visionary leadership are spot on.
Kramer- please join our group…in secret of course!
I have been to Junction City exactly twice since The Drug Store left… both times to eat at the rail cars… under different owners.
There is no place in our society for businesses like that anymore… we need those Chinese, Filipino and Mexican cheap consumer goods….give us more WalMarts and Dollar Stores! Chain stores; now that’s American.
Thanks George, I’d love to – you in particular might be interested (but not surprised) to know that the most common response I get when I tell people that we’re moving to Peoria is “oh, Big Al’s.” Frankly, I’m surprised that no one (other than you, apparently) is throwing the furniture around when a strip bar is front and center in the heart of their city’s relatively small downtown. I have zero problem with the existence of such an establishment, but I can confirm, as you already know, that it’s LOCATION does NOT send a good message to outsiders. If I were thinking about opening a restaurant, cafe, bookstore, wine bar, boutique, etc, I wouldn’t want it across the street, down the way, or right around the corner from Big Al’s. I’d open up shop on Prospect in the Heights, Junction City, or (yes, I admit it) even Grand Prairie.
I lived on the north end of Mt. Hawley Rd. and our family used to attempt to ride our bikes up to Junction City and also to Peoria Heights, trying to have a more urban lifestyle. We also tried in the warm weather to walk to Kellar Primary, it is less than a mile. But . . .
It was treacherous to say the very least trying to ride or even walk. The cars drive too fast on Mt. Hawley and when you get to the corner where it meets with Knoxville just past Kellar Primary School the City never maintained the sidewalks or cut back the weeds and the drop off from the sidewalk down the side of the hill was incredible, with no type of guard rail. It was no better when you reached the sidewalk area just past Junction City headed toward the Heights because the sidewalks were so warped and crumbled I was afraid my kids would be jolted off their bikes.
Peoria has a long way to go in terms of infrastructure to make it a pedestrian friendly place. Creating that environment is what it is going to take to bring families back from the new construction in the corner fields. Leaders do not seem to appreciate the value of how adding a little charm to an area can go a long way in increasing the desirability of older homes which have inherent limitations. These things can be overlooked with the right neighborhood ambiance and other conveniences that can be offered with living “in town.”
We now live in an urban but green area and we love it. My children walk from our house to a train station and take public transportation to school. I can walk to several grocery stores and other retail shopping and to restaurants and coffee shops. It is a very relaxing lifestyle. But then, I am not sharing anything new with many of you that are regular bloggers.
Regarding Junction City, I have to give them an A for effort. Peoria does not do a very good job of supporting upscale dining, shopping, etc. Most of my favorite stores and several restaurants have come and gone because people would rather eat and shop at the chain stores.
SD, if you truly believe that Brenkman is not involved in the day-to-day operations of Pioneer, then I have a bike path in South Pekin to sell to you.
Mike Lewis would have been wise to have actually finished his development first. His rent is too high, and you have to pay for the build-out of any of the units you might want, probably costing $50K-$100K up front. Not many small shops are going to invest in something like that.
That place was put up on pure speculation (not a single tenant signed up prior to building), which is odd. I heard it was put up because the Streetscape proposed by Earl Carter was going to shut down Prospect for a year in the “downtown” area, thus causing those merchants to have to move to Heritage Square to stay in business in the Heights. That’s really the only thing that makes any sense.
Oh, check out who one of the “key people” at Pioneer is: http://www.pioneer-railcorp.com/company_profile.htm
Gee whiz, he’s still listed as #1 on the website, right?
kramer you sound a lot like that beth akeson with your “spot on” vocabulary and all pro-ped stance. you her or you just like sounding like you are english 2?
For all its faults, the original Junction City is a nice-looking and unique place. All the strip malls make Peoria a pretty ugly place.
Prego Man Wrote: Oh, check out who one of the “key people” at Pioneer is:
Uh, Prego…that website hasn’t been updated since 2005! Brenkman retired in March 2006.
shapiqua dulane,
I am flattered you read CJ’s blog enough to believe you know my writing and language use when you either read or hear it. I am also flattered to be confused with Kramer, who ever he/she is).
I sign posts with my name and I would love to talk with Kramer sometime.
Kramer ,
CJ and I are Heart of Peoria Commissioners and strong supporters of traditional town planning, or if you prefer “new urbanism.” Call me anytime on my cell 696-7530 or email me bethakeson@insightbb.com (I have not converted my email yet to Comcast)
We really need to keep the momentum going from the grass roots level.
As far as the “spot on” comment- perhaps because my step-father was a Brit I picked up some of his expressions. He used the word “bloody” an awful lot too- I slip and say #@%*- bloody does sound more dignified. I suppose I could say “exactly” or “precisely” instead of “spot on” Take your pick they all sound fine to me.
Way to go Kramer and George- and to BMW- sorry you moved away you obviously get it too.
Uh, David, I know just enough people who know just enough people at Pioneer to know who does not want to let go of the Kellar Branch for personal reasons. Guy Brenkman still “owns” Pioneer, doesn’t he? Did he sell out on it? You’re the rail guy, you tell me, has Guy Brenkman sold his shares of Pioneer? Does he no longer have an office there? Is he living in Florida with absolutely no connection with Pioneer?
The answers to all of the above is- No.
Pioneer has a different face, perhaps, but the heart (or lack of same) remains.
“All the strip malls make Peoria a pretty ugly place.”
Well I don’t know how ‘ugly’ that makes it. New places and freshly renovated places tend to look nice and that draws people. People like to go to ‘new’ place which is why they do it. Lots of people talk about wanting to make Peoria into a destination, a place that people WANT to visit, a place that people WANT to shop at, rather simply than need to shop at. Nothing about the current strip malls nor the new ‘vision’ for Junction City is unique. It is a rehashing of the same old same old that exists in 1000s of American cities. Nothing about this says Peoria is a destination. It is a BORE!
Khazzam might well fill the place but in all likelihood he will be poaching businesses from other locations, leaving those other locations barren and vacant. Peoria does not need more barren and vacant. Some of you say let the market decide. That is makes for a great textbook discussion or good ideology but in practice the market’s interests are not the same as civic governance. Vast swaths of empty store fronts bring about blight not competition. There is a balance to be found. You need some empty space but Peoria has long since gone beyond that. ~250,000 Greater Peoria residents can only support so much retail space. Peoria should be saying no more ‘new’ places, start renovating the old places. To that end there needs to be incentives to make that work.
Unfortunately, people in Peoria, the masses, don’t want anything but strip malls. Say what you want about Peoria Heights, that’s one of a kind. The Shoppes at Grand Prairie is about close as we are going to get. What do I base this on? That people will not walk two blocks downtown for anything but have no problem driving around the mall or Target parking lot for 10 minutes looking for a place to park. I wish it were different and hope that Junction City can be different. Really, I do. I want the walk-up stuff, I want the feel of Main Street where the entrances are right on the street.
I don’t think Peoria as a whole, however, wants that. We’ll see. If Downtown is any indication, they don’t.
Prego,
I’m not sure why I bother – I guess I’m just interested in the truth. So here it goes:
(1) J. Michael Carr is CEO, president and CFO of Pioneer Railcorp and runs the company on a day-to-day basis.
(2) Guy Brenkman retired, IIRC, March 1, 2006. His shares in Pioneer amounted to less than 50%, and he has since sold most of them.
(3) Brenkman does not live in Peoria.
(4) Brenkman does not have an office in Peoria.
(5) Brenkman first became interested in acquiring the Kellar Branch in the early 1980’s. The first reference to “Pioneer Industrial Railroad Co.” was in a January 1983 article in the Journal Star. He saw its potential and sought to purchase it. Unfortunately, he hadn’t yet formed a railroad or raised capital and the Peoria and Peoria Heights aquired the Kellar in 1984, contracting with P&PU to operate it.
By 1997, Brenkman’s Pioneer Railcorp had nine years as owner and/or operator of a number of shortlines and this time credibily sought to become the line’s operator when P&PU bowed out.
That happened in February 1998 and Brenkman’s railroad proved that good service could bring back business to the line. Unfortunately, of trail proponents couldn’t fathom why someone opposed their brilliant idea of tearing up a necessary, active railroad for an unnecessary trail and, along with the Journal Star, demonized Pioneer as the bad guy.
The rest is history.
(6) You’ll recall that Brenkman retired from his company nearly two years before the ruling by the Surface Transportation Board restored his company’s operating rights. In fact, he retired just months after losing those rights. If Brenkman didn’t want to let go of the Kellar Branch for person reasons, as you suggest, why did he retire and not fight on?
Cause he ain’t retired, David. You can go on believing that if you want to… or perhaps you know the real story and just don’t want to comment on it. Regardless, it’s just fine if you want to live in your Railway Dream World. I’ll stay in my Reality Based Spaghetti Strainer.
David,
IF Pioneer runs a railroad like they manage their website, that says a lot about them. Having a site that outdated (assuming for a second that what you say is correct), is unprofessional and perhaps a little deceptive (on purpose?).
If nothing else, it says something about their professionalism.
Prego Man,
The reason that Pioneer hasn’t updated their site for at least two years (at least one page has a “Copyright 2006” on it), but not much has changed since then. Guy Brenkman is still listed as “Chairman,” but even if that’s current, it’s ceremonial.
I’ve told you what I know. You believe what you want.
Peo Proud,
Little has changed with Pioneer Railcorp and its subsidiaries since 2005-2006, other than the resumption of Kellar Branch operations. As I noted earlier, Mike Carr is CEO, president and CFO, and Guy Brenkman is Chairman. Before his retirement, Brenkman was CEO (Carr had assumed the title of president a year or so Brenkman’s retirement).
But your charge of “deception” and “unprofessional” are nonsense. Do you know how many websites have not been updated for a year or two years? I’m unaware of any state or federal rules requiring websites to be updated. Furthermore, Pioneer Railcorp doesn’t do business with the public through its website – it’s mainly information-oriented. If you do business through their website you have to have a logon ID and password, etc., and that section, which probably features such ammenities as electronic waybilling, is up to date.
For as beautiful as Junction City looks since Alexis took over, this new development is that much more disappointing.
This looks like some sort of tribute to the Shoppes of Grand Prairie.
Well, if you ask the Butcher Block, who has scaled back almost there entire inventory of the “grocery store” concept, you can just imagine what is going to happen to yet another strip mall with a restaurant, and a little shops in it. Of course, looking on the bright side. At least there won’t be an half empty crack house hotel there…just an empty.
Today, as I was straightening my desk I uncovered a January 14, 2008 Peoria Journal Star editorial that states:
Peoria needs another cookie-cutter shopping center like it needs a hang nail…
For too long, however, Peoria’s M.O. has been to accept whatever structure developers want to build without consideration for how it deadens the landscape…
I wonder if anyone from the editorial board reads this blog. I would say many agree with them that enough is enough. Do you think we have any elected official willing to solve this problem- the real problem? Na…they are too busy thinking a new logo or the resurrection of a passé slogan will fix Peoria’s negative reputation. Maybe Converse Marketing should simply design our new logo to resemble a strip mall with boobies peaking out of the doors ?
Shapiqua,
I have read many of Beth Akeson’s posts and I am equally flattered to be confused with her. As for the “spot on” usage, I’m afraid it’s a habit I picked up from my husband, who is far from English – he’s a Peoria Central grad. I’m not clear on why you’re offended by the use of this phrase.
Hey PREGO MAN!! What happened to your blogsite??? Didn’t pay your bill did you?? Sorry folks no more Prego’s “MEATBALL MANSION”. My recommendation to you is to pay your bill and post your nonsense and lie there. Leave us realists and taxpayers alone and tend to your “MEATBALL MANSION” fantasyland unfettered by the truth of the real world.
Mister Ed, put your feedbag back on. You make a lot more sense when all we hear is your slurping up the oats.
Wilbuuuuuuuuuurrrrrr.