A block of Paris Ave. — one block south of War Memorial Drive, between Wisconsin and Illinois avenues — looks like a “war zone” according to Tom Horstmann, Peoria Heights village administrator. Take a look for yourself:
Yep, pretty much. Here’s why:
The work on demolishing these houses to make way for a new strip mall has ground to a halt. The reason is a survey for asbestos required by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
In the meantime, the place looks like Yucca Flats after the blast. And we all know how persnickety Peoria Heights is about how their village looks. This must be driving them crazy. [/sarcasm]
Incidentally, click on the link to the Times-Observer article. The really interesting part of the story is not the “war zone” comment. It’s the fact that the Village hasn’t seen any plans for the strip mall, doesn’t know who the tenants will be, and neither does the developer know who the tenants will be. I guess when they say they don’t make developers “jump through a lot of hoops,” they must mean they have no standards at all for development.
But the village is reportedly “excited” about the development anyway, even though they have no idea what kind of business will move in or any inkling of what it will look like. Wouldn’t it be a hoot if the tenants turned out to be a car wash and a payday loan establishment?
and a liquor store.
Man! I live in this area. My girlfriend and I ride through this neighborhood occasionally and this very street with our bikes. But I haven’t seen this. Maybe it was a month or two, but what a shock. If there is anyone on that street left to talk to I will talk to them and post back what I hear. What a trip to hear.
Yeah I drive by it all the time going to Gebby’s. It’s funny when they first started with the one house I called them demolishing it to build a strip mall. Lord knows we need another one. I feel sorry for the people right behind Gebby’s. If anybody was in need of getting their house bought so they could get something nicer it is those people. Now they are going to be surrounded by two parking lots in a house that is falling apart.
Because Peoria is so great at getting info on what is going into new strip malls? What is going into Allen just south of Walmart or at Knoxville just north of route 6? I don’t think the developers telling the zoning commission that they have a lot of interest from retailers and possibly a restaurant is really that explanatory.
Must be a slow news day in C.J.-Land. That film clip looks gorgeous compared to 88.65% of the south end.
Prego — I just wanted to use my new video plug-in again. This was a good excuse. 🙂
Future Starbucks? Ooh wait… um… Starbucks is now closing stores, like that new one on Sterling.
War Zone? That looks nicer than the west side of Pekin. I thought I was going to see half demolished homes or something. As far as not knowing who or what is coming into this new “strip mall” I would be asking a lot of questions right now before I continued to support such a large project.
I agree that “war zone” does not apply.
I also agree with Pregoman about it looking like the South End (and some block of the East Bluff).
Come on…we need more cash advance stores.
I need some cash badly. Why is it so hard to find a cash store?
Because it is worthless.
You used to get discounts for cash… now you get discounts for credit… No one wants that worthless paper.
They could always put in another verizone or sprint store there or maybe we’ll get another crappy food joint. But really does Peoria need another strip mall? I think not.