Many restaurants and shops are finding success in the Village, and city and Business Improvement District officials want to continue the momentum by developing a plan that sets out steps needed to clear the way for future development.
The Budget and Finance Committee on Tuesday recommended allocating $50,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant funding to hire a consultant to prepare a master plan for the BID. The Common Council must approve the use of grant money before the city can solicit bids from planning professionals.
Ongoing development effort
The idea would be to better connect the Village Center and State Street corridor, said Nancy Welch, community development director.
The BID Board tries to handle issues facing the district, but as business owners and operators, their time for and experience with long-range planning are limited, board Vice Chairman Bill Brown said.
The last Village plan was created in the 1970s when the BID formed.
"Truly, you never stop developing a business district," Welch said. "Things are constantly changing. (The prior plan) did not anticipate we would be losing several of our major manufacturing businesses in that area."
Three areas of interest
Sean Phelan, a BID Board member who owns the Café Hollander building, urged aldermen to see the revitalization that has been happening in the Village and see that the proper plan will only build on that excitement.
The suggestion to pursue block grant funds came after BID officials voiced two concerns to the city in October. First, they worried about access to Village businesses during road construction projects, and, second, they wanted to consider changes in traffic patterns.
At the time, the Traffic and Safety Committee realized the BID faces more than way-finding issues when it comes to building a successful future.
Since then, the BID Board has identified three key areas for study:
• pedestrian and vehicle traffic and parking issues, including safety and infrastructure improvements;
• design principles that will make the district more cohesive and attract new development; and
• what type of product and service providers to recruit to the area.
Process questioned
The Budget and Finance Committee unanimously supported using grant funds for this purpose, but one member questioned the process by which the proposal came before the panel.
The Community Development Block Grant Committee meets each October to determine how to divvy up the grant money the city, making a recommendation to the Budget and Finance Committee.
"Now we're getting something that seems to go around that process," said Alderman Michael Walsh.
Welch said her staff was busy helping the North Avenue Alliance select a planner for its district study, which is also being paid for with block grants. But taking the funds out of the general administrative category and moving them to this specific planning project will not lessen the amount of money granted for community services.
Next Step
WHAT: The Common Council will decide whether to allocate $50,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds to pay for a planning study in the Village Business Improvement District.
WHERE: City Hall, 7725 W. North Ave.
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday
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