I’m going to start looking at some projects that were promised to bring revitalization to downtown Peoria and see how they turned out. Did they deliver what was promised? Today, we’re going to look at One Technology Plaza, on the corner of Adams and Fulton where the old Bergner store used to be.
When that idea was first pitched in 1997, the Journal Star said the plan “to demolish the [Bergner] block and build an eight-story, $25 million career and technology center sounds precisely like the boost Peoria’s downtown needs,” adding the hopeful questions, “might this become a piece of an I-74 Technology Corridor?”
Many others sang the praises of the project, assuring us that this would be the catalyst to turn downtown around and bring in new jobs and industry. Here’s a sampling:
The L-shaped building, with main entrances on both Northeast Adams and Fulton streets “will reinvent downtown,” said commission Chairman Jim Baldwin.
“It will fill in the retail gap” in the downtown area with 17,000 square feet of street-level store space, said city Riverfront Development Director Tom Tincher.
–Peoria Journal Star, March 8, 1997
“This can truly make Peoria different from any community our size” in the nation, Mayor Bud Grieves said moments after the council voted 7-1 to accept a redevelopment agreement for the project with Prudential Cullinan Ltd….
At-large Councilman Charles Grayeb [said] that the tech center “embodies one of the most aggressive, visionary, public-private partnerships ever envisioned by our city. It will put Peoria in the (technology) development forefront and produce tax dollars quickly” through the jobs and industries it will attract, he said….
Its top floor will house both major and smaller technology-based firms that Cullinan expects to lure here. Its first floor will contain 17,000 square feet of retail space.
–Peoria Journal Star, July 2, 1997
One Technology Plaza opened in September 1999. Construction was paid for with the help of $9.6 million in general obligation bonds from the city. So now that it’s eight and a half years later, how have they filled the “retail gap” downtown? What new “major and smaller technology-based firms” have been lured here?
I took a walk downtown recently to find out. The retail establishments on the ground level are: Robert Morris College Bookstore, Jimmy John’s Sandwiches, Heartland Bank, Chase Property Management, and several empty storefronts, including the recently vacated Camille’s Sidewalk Cafe.
According to the directory in the lobby off of Fulton street, the businesses in One Technology Plaza are:
- Caterpillar (several divisions, including Global Deployment Services, Remanufacturing Division, Cat University CTT, and World Trading Corp.)
- Robert Morris College
- Workforce Network (City of Peoria Workforce Development Department and Central Illinois Workforce Board)
- U. S. Attorney’s Office
- Howard & Howard Attorneys offices
- Cullinan Properties
- OSF Organizational Development
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
Several of these are the original tenants. The Regional Office of Education used to be in One Technology Plaza, but moved to the Peoria County Courthouse. The building’s offices and retail stores are open 9-5 on weekdays, and aren’t open on Saturdays or Sundays at all. It would be interesting to see how much One Technology Plaza is contributing in tax revenue to the Downtown Business District TIF.
As I look over the list of tenants, I don’t see any retail gap being filled. How many people, when they want to grab a quick Jimmy John’s lunch, think about going to One Technology Plaza, especially considering there are three other locations in Peoria that are probably more convenient? The problem is that there’s no nearby residential component to drive retail development. Any retail that locates here only caters to people who work downtown and can patronize a place during lunch. Or they have to try to draw people downtown with something really unique. Nothing unique here at One Technology Plaza.
And I certainly don’t see any new high-tech companies that have located in Peoria as a result of this multi-million dollar investment by the City. Caterpillar already has its world headquarters downtown, which is a huge asset, of course. But the promise was that new companies, large and small, would be “lured” here. Hasn’t happened. I see a lot of empty space in a soulless building.
This Downtown Promise: Unfulfilled.
Jim Baldwin, Mayor Bud Grieves,Councilman Charles Grayeb….That says it all.
I doubt anybody, including the councilpeople who spouted it or even One Propaganda Plaza (the PJS), really believed the hype. Somebody made money tearing down a great old building; somebody made money putting up an ugly new building; and somebody is making money leasing space to a bunch of govt. entities that now occupy it. And the taxpayers paid all the bills. Same old, same old. What’s new?
CJ,
Check on the current EAV to see how close they hit the 25 million dollar “promise”. If you are going to make this a “series”, you might check on other promised “ghisms”.
I just located the 13 September 1980 copy of the Journal then Serving Central Illinois for 124 years with the promises that City involvment in the twin tower site would create. I think you will find it interesting.
And Mouse, unfortunately, in my opinion, those who spouted did totally believe the hype. They were making errors of commission, not ommision.
7-1 vote huh? I wonder who………. scratch that!
I am guessing your subjects will be the ballpark, Gateway Building, RiverFront Village, Civic Center, RiverPlex etc…
” … One Propaganda Plaza ”
Heh.
I think the high rents charged by the developers had something to do with stifling people to rush in there. Not to mention the fact no one lives downtown.
Gee, I sure hope you don’t pick on that new building on W. Main Street. You know, the one with huge parking lot in back? The one that sits mostly empty?
end/sarcasm
Downtown Promise? The list might be shorter if you do it on the ones that have worked. Or is there any?
I always suspected over the years has this city has been blowing smoke up my skirt. And I hate that. I only like smoke on my ribs. God the Riverplex loses what? 5000/month? What does the Gateway building even do? And why is the gambling boat in East Peoria?
The Gateway building is neat… but I think few really know much about it which says to me it isn’t being marketed terribly well.
Cheryl, the boat is there to pay for District 150’s education promise.
Does anyone remember Grieves claiming that Peoria will be the San Francisco of the midwest? I don’t know why people want to make Peoria something its not. Let Peoria be Peoria.
CJ-
I think this series should be mandatory reading for the people who actually believed these projects would transform the city and for the elected officials who approved them. It is too bad many of them have left town for Naples, Florida; Phoenix Arizona; Arlington, Virginia; and Canton, Illinois (this one is still a mystery to me).
If you are not a reader possibly just a stroll, even though frightening, down any of the streets in the Heart of Peoria, at any given time, will reveal the city is lacking shall we say “life?” I know if I use the D@*d word everyone will scream and yell we aren’t D#*d. I’m just trying to make the point- we can be more alive, more interesting, more sustainable- but the decisions being made, in my opinion, are not enough to achieve a higher level of quality of life.
Why is it that some people fail to see mistakes keep repeating themselves? Why do they insist on approaching problems in the same way? Every action and decision costs money and we aren’t spending our tax dollars wisely. Think about how dumb the Riverfront platform is (CJ- I hope you have that project on the list)- some of the people who made that decision are still in town, but I think they have all been removed from the city council, thank goodness!
I think Mayor Ardis is doing a better job than the other mayors. I know we do not have the right mix on the city council. They seem to speak out of both sides of their mouths and most of them (Gary excluded) don’t have any idea of what “having vision” means. They (VanAuken, Manning, Jacob) forget people talk to one another and compare notes. We don’t like to be dissed!
Also a simple review of the budget will show you we don’t have and haven’t had enough tax money to pay for what the city really needs. Think about it: we can’t maintain our infrastructure because we are too busy building new roads and stop lights etc, etc, etc.
We aren’t planting more trees because we are too busy cutting existing ones down for new commercial development only to have them replaced with stupid little bushes.
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We can’t find tenants for our older commercial buildings because the city council continues to approve new commercial endeavors.
People lament the central city is decaying, yet the City Council approves new subdivision after new subdivision. I had to laugh when I read Marilyn Kohn said she is building for empty nesters. How many empty nesters want to be isolated in the woods by a pond when gas reaches $10.00 a gallon and City Link can’t make it up the hill? Come on folks- this is not vision.
Go for it CJ- this will be the first page I read in the morning for quite some time!
George: (and others) It is simple. Egos! If you can’t put a plaque on it, then it isn’t worthy. You can’t put a plaque on proper police or fire staffing, you can’t put a plaque on maintenance of our streets, and you can’t put a plaque proper enforcement of zoning in our older neighborhoods. You can put your name on a plaque for the Gateway Building, the big and great pad on the riverfront, a brick on the clock tower walk way, and even on one the new Tech Building. Yep, our representatives who know more than the average citizen on how to spend tax dollars. Just ask one and they’ll tell you to shut up, you don’t understand city policies. I have, and she did.
If you had an old car and the engine was about done due to high mileage, would you replace the whole front end, bumper and fenders? Of course not. But we have a classic neighborhood being invade by a “private entity” and what do they do? They build them an arbor.
As for the Gateway Building, yes, it is a nice building but everything is 3 floors up which makes it hard for a lot of people to go to functions there. You either climb the steps or wait your turn in the slowest elevators ever made. Then try hauling up risers and band equipment on the service elevator. I have and it is an all day task. The design for it’s function wasn’t well thought out and that is way the city can’t make any money on it and that is why we’ll never unload it. Unless, a group of lawyers and a cash advance store buy it for office space.
The River Plex was built so cheaply, that the pipes and chlorine facilities it has are in such bad shape, the Park District spends needlessly keeping the place running. Ask any one who works on that place and they will tell you. One guy told me it should be pushed into the river and they should start over. I said don’t give them any ideas. They spent enough. Besides, with OSF, Cat Executives and Judges getting free or reduce memberships, the average Peorian can’t afford the place.
Maybe we should change the name of Peoria to Amok, Illinois.
Randal- Good post, How about adding Run to the name?
Gary, are you serious? If those people really believe(d) that nonsense, that’s even scarier! Tell us it isn’t so!
When the county was pressured to buy a million dollars worth of space to relocate the Regional Superintendent of Schools to One Tech, County Board member Sharon Kennedy said the day MAY COME when we regret this decision. It came and the County is still stuck with the space as the Superintendent is now back in the Courthouse.
We are leasing some of the space and trying to lease the balance according to our Administrator.
No, I wasn’t on the board when that decision was made.
As to the RiverPlex, it has never made a payment as promised by Tim Cassidy on 3/21/99 in the JS, “Facility to be affordable; financial risk minimal”. I further quote Cassidy, “Most if not all the bonded indebtedness will be paid thru RiverPlex operations”. When that failed to happen, Cassidy said it was Park policy that principal and interest on the RiverPlex bond would be paid out of the Parks Capital Fund and not charged against the RiverPlex. What say?
Why do you suspose the PPD budget this year is almost $49,000,000.00?
Oh, yes, remember Queen Noble ( that is what the JSEB called her, being quoted as surveys showed that over 15,000 families had an interest in joining the RiverPlex. Ha. And yes, talk about the ballpark because as a stockholder I am under threat of a lawsuit if I say anything that might hurt attendance.
Hey, it’s a great bang for the buck and you get to see Ryne Sandberg. Oh, I see, he’s been suspended by the league for three games. Oh well, he really has the turnstiles turning.
I have blogged numerous times on C.J.’s subject. Expect me to blog more.
Good going, C.J.
I remember when the Riverplex was under consideration and I was opposed to the location. All the taxpayers of Peoria paid for this facility but it certainly is not very centrally located. There is no Peoria Park District swimming pool or other recreational facility serving the community of taxpayers north of W. Memorial. Why was locating the Riverplex on the waterfront such an imperative?
I had my child’s birthday party at the water park area at the Riverplex and it is a great family facility, but that weekend they had also rented the gym out to host Julep’s Closet and that brought in a whole host of people. I could not understand why they would have done that? It is a recreational facility not a community center. That is one of the problems with Peoria. They want to be all things to all people and thus end up failing on all fronts. If I want to be a member at a good workout facility, I don’t want to show up one day and find they are having a rummage sale at the place and there is no parking and all kinds of nonmembers running around the facility.
It is no surprise to me that the Riverplex is a finanical failure, even though it is a lovely facility.
The RiverPlex would make an excellent Amtrak depot following some necessary remodeling 🙂
A train station should be located closer to the bus station off Kumpf.
Kind of needs to go where the tracks are. The city put out RFP on the new-old train station down by Constitution Park that the park district has been using for storage. Maybe they should hang on to that for a little while longer.
Uh, peoriafan, the track runs between the RiverPlex and its parking lot. The Morton St. depot is not very visible, though I’m sure proper signs and marketing could change that.
You need the train station in close proximity to the bus depot (on kumpf) so that passengers can readily change from one mass transit to another. This sort of alignment is almost universal in the rest of the world. The space between the bus depot and a train station down by Water street would ideally be filled with retail and restaurants. The two depots would become a commercial hub.
Uh, David Jordan, I was referring to mahknos comment about it being by the bus station. I know where the RiverPlex and train tracks are. Mahkno is right though about it being close to the bus station to create a transit hub. Yea I like this idea.
How about the great tribute to craters next to Caterpillar?
My bad, PeoriaFan. And I agree with you.
Economic Development is always a challenge. And redeveloping older cities is more difficult than green grass sites.
That said, Peoria is making some pretty good progress. USA Today reports that we had the second highest appreciation of median home values in the country over the 1st quarter of 2008 versus 2007 – 10.4%. The rest of the Country declined 7.7% over the same period.
Take a look at our blogs, where we discuss economic development
http://peoriaed.blogspot.com/
http://peoriatif.blogspot.com/
Send me an email to Craig Hullinger at Hullingerc@gmail.com if you have questions about economic development, or better yet, if you would like to invest some money in our city.
Thanks
The riverplex was ill conceived and poorly constructed. If they had tried to do one thing well it could have been a success. They instead did a number of things poorly and it is a mess. They have a gym that is too small. A pool that is a joke and is bested by an older pool not 2 miles away that is close to forty years old and not in nearly the ruins that the pool at the riverplex is in. An indoor track that is all but useless and a woefully inadequite workout area. Add to all this the attempt and failure to compete with existing private companies for the fitness dollar and you have a monumental insult on the river. The facility was constructed in such a way so as to prevent any temptation to use it as a sports venue that could host large events crippling it for any future change to a more useful sports facility to host various meets and tournaments. Bad planning and just plain bad management down there.