Five Year Streetscape Plan

The City of Elgin has engaged the services of TranSystems Corporation and DLK Civic Design to provide design services for water main and water service replacement, streetscape amenities construction and street resurfacing. The CBD Streetscape Improvement Project is in the City’s current five-year master plan with $15.5 million budgeted for utility and streetscape work.

Three public meetings have been held to collect input on sidewalk materials, trees and plantings and pedestrian access. The following links are the materials presented at the October 17th meeting:

Concepts
Elements

The Streetscape Master Plan is in the works and will be presented at the fourth public meeting.

This is the schedule:
2006 Underground, 2007 Surface: Sidewalk, curb and gutter and street reconstruction/resurfacing on sections of Grove, Spring and Fulton.

2007 Underground, 2008 Surface: Chicago Street from State to Center, Spring Street from Chicago to Highland, and DuPage Street from Spring to Center.

2008 Underground, 2009 Surface: Douglas Street from Chicago to Symphony, Symphony Way from Douglas to Dundee, and Division Street from Douglas to Center.

2009 Underground, 2010 Surface: Highland Avenue from State to Center, Grove Street from Highland to City Hall, and Center Street from Dexter to Kimball.

2010 Underground, 2011 Surface: Spring Street from Highland to Kimball and Dexter Avenue from City Hall to Center.

Riverside Deck Presentation

Two proposals for the renovation of the Riverside Deck will be presented to the city council at the Committee of the Whole meeting on Wednesday, October 25th at 5:00 p.m. Please note the early starting time and get there on time, the presentation is the first item on the agenda. Hitchcock Design Group and Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum Planning Group are the two design firm competing for the project. The firms are required to present three concepts, one with access to the riverfront, one without access and one concept of the firm’s choosing. This project will link the riverwalk improvements north of Highland Avenue with the recently completed section south of Prairie Street at a cost estimated to be 10 million dollars.

Elgin Community Network (ECN) Podcasts

The ECN Community Builder online show is a wonderful vehicle for Elgin. It is fulfilling ECN's vision of service to the community. The ECN has limited funds, and therefore the promotion of this show lies very much in the hands of volunteers and supporters. You can listen to or download programs at: www.ecn.libsyn.com.

The September edition includes Norma Miess, Executive Director of the Downtown Neighborhood Association. She discusses how the DNA focuses on cohesively bringing together the business community for a stronger downtown.

When you go to the website you will see a pod button next to the title of the show. Click the pod button and it will bring up your media player and play the program. Click the right mouse button to download the program so you can listen whenever and wherever you please. For information on the show or to help please contact Gary Joy at 847-628-9717.

The Elgin Community Network is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to:
- Supporting communication, education and collaboration between Elgin neighborhoods, city council and staff.
- Encouraging residents to be involved in their neighborhood and community.

The Community Builder covers useful topics, shares information and builds on our community's success.

2006 Illinois Main Street Conference

Don't miss the Illinois Main Street conference in Waukegan on November 14th and 15th.
Elgin's own Paul Bednar will be presenting a session on Block Walks.

Register Online for the Conference
Registration Sheet for Printing Out
Agenda and More Info (.pdf file)

UPDATE
This just in. Elgin is a finialist in the following four categories of the 2006 Illinois Main Street Awards:

• Design Committee Project - Block Walk Report
• Special Event or Festival - Gail Borden Library's GIANT Exhibit
• Partnership Development - DNA & Judson College Partnership
• Heritage Tourism Activity - Cinco de Mayo Festival & Parade

The winners will be announced at the Lt. Governor’s Awards for Downtown Revitalization dinner on November 15th in Waukegan.

You won’t want to miss this year’s awards event rivaling the Oscars and the Tony Awards! The sounds of the Harrison Bankhead Trio will serenade you during the reception with hors d’ oeuvres and cash bar. Then you’ll be escorted to your seat in the theatre where the celebration will continue. Lt. Governor Pat Quinn will present the Awards for Excellence in Downtown Revitalization and recognize new and outstanding Main Street communities. Everyone is a star this night when the curtain rises and dinner is served on the Genesee Theatre stage. Semi-formal attire requested. Dinner is $50 make your reservation at Register Online for the Conference Registration or Registration Sheet for Printing Out.

E. Chicago Down to One Lane for Two Weeks

Chicago Street, from Douglas to Spring, will be reduced to only one lane for about two weeks starting October 16th. Parking along Chicago Street will be prohibited, however, access to businesses will be available. The construction is part of the City of Elgin’s $1.3 million 2006 Combined Sewer Separation Project approved by Council last year. The Combined Sewer Separation Program will incrementally separate wastewater and storm water sewers over the next 15 years. For more info contact Steve Pertzborn, the City’s Senior Engineer, at (847) 931-5964.

Illinois Main Street Architects to Visit Downtown Elgin

The Downtown Neighborhood Association has invited IHPA architects to conduct a workshop, offer design advice, and lead a building maintenance tour for business and property owners.

Architects from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency (IHPA), working through the Illinois Main Street program, will be in Elgin all day on Tuesday, October 24 to provide businesses, agencies, and building owners design assistance through presentations, one-on-one sessions, and a walking tour. The state architects provide these services at no charge to Illinois Main Street communities like Elgin.

Downtown Neighborhood Association’s (DNA) Design Committee co-chairs Eric Pepa, Paul Bednar, Betsy Couture, and Dave Segel have worked with the Illinois Main Street architects to develop a full day of design assistance for Downtown Elgin.

Schedule
8 a.m. - Sessions on visual merchandising and low-cost design improvements at the DNA offices at 2 Douglas Avenue. Coffee and pastries will be served.

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - One-on-one design assistance sessions with downtown business and property owners. Any interested Downtown Elgin business owner, agency or property owner can schedule an appointment by calling the DNA in advance at (847) 488-1456.

12 p.m. - Lunch


4:30 p.m. - The IHPA staff will discuss proper maintenance and repair of historic downtown buildings. There are several maintenance issues that, if addressed early, can save building owners tremendous amounts of time and money in the long run. This well-illustrated presentation identifies common causes of deterioration in historic building materials and examines necessary and appropriate repair techniques.

5:30 p.m. - IHPA staff will lead an hour-long tour of buildings in downtown Elgin, focusing on positive aspects of storefronts and areas where conditions might be improved. The public is welcome to attend the morning and afternoon sessions and tour. Packets will be available that discuss the various grants and tax credits available for downtown buildings from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency and from the City of Elgin. In addition, information will be available regarding design assistance from the IHPA, the City of Elgin, and the Downtown Neighborhood Association.

To RSVP for any of these sessions please contact DNA at (847) 488-1456 by October 20.

Lao-American Organization Open House

I had the pleasure of attending the Lao-American Organization of Elgin Open House on Saturday. They have opened an office in the Professional Building. Their mission is:

"Unite and provide assistance to all people of Lao national origin, living in the Greater Elgin Area and it's surrounding cities, with emphasis on educational and Social-cultural factors as a focal point."

The organization has been in existence since 1996. They plan to use the office to hold classes and workshops to fulfill their mission. After learning about the group it was time for lunch so we went up to the top floor of the Professional Building for a buffet prepared by the members of LAOE. What could be better. Good food, great company and a spectacular view.

Lao-American Organization of Elgin, Inc.
164 Division St., Suite 508
Elgin, IL 60120

(847) 695-4505
www.laoofelgin.org

Downtown Elgin Blog on the Front Page of the Courier News

New media profiled on old media, "Elgin wired up on the Web". The Downtown Elgin and Elginite blogs were on the front page of the Monday, October 16th Courier News. I was interviewed by Kent Green several weeks ago. It's good to see the story, but I didn't expect the placement it got.

Nothing like vistors to inspire you to straighten up. My posting has been very light lately.

Downtown Streetscape Meeting

When: Tuesday, October 17th at 7 p.m.
Where: The Centre of Elgin
100 Symphony Way
Elgin, IL 60120
What: Elgin business owners and residents are invited to attend a third informational meeting about proposed sidewalk and street improvements for the downtown.

“The CBD Streetscape Improvement Project will enhance the appearance and condition of sidewalk areas and street resurfacing,” said John Loete, Elgin’s Public Works Director. “There have been two meetings with the community that have helped direct our efforts and we’re now ready to present a preliminary plan.”

The project’s utility work has been completed on Grove Avenue, Fulton Street and part of Spring Street and includes water system replacement and repairs to the sanitary and storm sewer systems.

To oversee the CBD Streetscape Improvement Project, the City of Elgin has engaged the services of TranSystems Corporation and DLK Civic Design to provide design services for water main and water service replacement, streetscape amenities construction and street resurfacing.

“The CBD Streetscape Improvement Project is in the City’s current five-year master plan with $15.5 million budgeted for utility and streetscape work,” said Loete. “Another $2 million is expected to be budgeted when the City’s new five-year master plan is completed in 2011.”

Following completion of the Streetscape Master Plan, the sidewalk, curb and gutter and street reconstruction/resurfacing on sections of Grove, Spring and Fulton will be completed in 2007. The balance of the proposed phasing is as follows:

2007 Underground, 2008 Surface: Chicago Street from State to Center, Spring Street from Chicago to Highland, and DuPage Street from Spring to Center.

2008 Underground, 2009 Surface: Douglas Street from Chicago to Symphony, Symphony Way from Douglas to Dundee, and Division Street from Douglas to Center.

2009 Underground, 2010 Surface: Highland Avenue from State to Center, Grove Street from Highland to City Hall, and Center Street from Dexter to Kimball.

2010 Underground, 2011 Surface: Spring Street from Highland to Kimball and Dexter Avenue from City Hall to Center.

“The nature of the underground and streetscape construction will create certain challenges in the downtown area,” said Loete. “As a result, construction will be planned and executed in order to maintain reasonable access during construction, and minimize disruption to the extent possible.

“Residents, business owners and other stakeholders will be kept informed about the project through including public meetings, newsletters, updates, and project status reports via mailings/handouts and on the City’s website,” continued Loete. “We want to ensure everyone knows what to expect.”

For more information, contact Loete at (847) 931-6001.

Downtown Streetscape Design Charrette

Central Business District (CBD) Street Resurfacing and Streetscape Program
Public Information Session #2
Design Charette

The Centre – Heritage Ballroom
100 Symphony Way
Elgin, IL 60120
August 17, 2006
7:00 p.m.

Join the City and representatives of the design team (TranSystems and DLK Civic Design) to help shape and develop concepts for the Central Business District (CBD) Street Resurfacing and Streetscape Program.

This meeting is the second meeting in a series of public meetings that will be held throughout this project to provide an opportunity for property and business owners, tenants, residents, and other interested stakeholders to be involved through the design and construction of this exciting five-year program. The first public meeting was held on July 27th and provided general information of the project along with an inventory and analysis of the CBD from a surface and appearance perspective.

The purpose of this second public meeting is to present initial concepts for streetscaping options developed by the consultant team. A brief presentation of these concepts will be given followed by a breakout working session. Your comments on these initial concepts will aid the design team in progressing these concepts into final design and construction. We hope that you can join us for what promises to be an exciting, collaborative, and informative workshop.

Project Background
The City is currently experiencing considerable redevelopment of its older downtown Central Business District (CBD). With the numerous redevelopment efforts that are taking place, the need to repair, update and enhance the sidewalks and streets has become evident. It is envisioned that the improvements would include the replacement of sidewalks and curb and gutter with new ones that include paver streetscape accents, planters with irrigation, decorative street lights, street furniture, additional street trees and repaving of the streets.
The look would be similar to that found on Douglas Avenue, Grove Avenue, and Symphony Way around the The Centre. In addition to the above work, the underground utilities will also need to be reconditioned. The water main and water services in the CBD are old, buried deeper than necessary due to street grade changes over the years and not easily repairable. The storm and sanitary sewers have been inspected and repaired in the past but also need to be evaluated and any recommended repairs addressed. Lining of all sewer mains is budgeted for 2006 by the annual Public Works contract.
To oversee the CBD Improvement Project, the City of Elgin has engaged the services of TranSystems and DLK Civic Design to provide design services for water main and water service replacement, streetscape amenities construction and street resurfacing. Both the surface and underground work will have a high impact on the residents and businesses in the area. For this reason, construction will need to be well planned and executed in order to maintain reasonable access during construction. The general plan for the program is for the utility work to occur the year before the surface improvements. The project has been laid out such that surface improvements would begin in 2007 and be concluded by the end of 2011 construction season. In order to maintain this proposed schedule, the underground utility work for the first year of the surface improvements must be done in 2006.
Because of the impact on the residents and businesses in the area, the consultant team will provide a substantial public relations/information effort during the course of the project. This will likely include frequent public meetings, newsletters, updates and project status reports via mailings/handouts and on the City’s website during design and construction of the project.

August Out to Lunch

When: Monday, August 28th at 12 p.m.
Where: Prairie Rock Brewing Company
127 S. Grove Ave
Elgin, Illinois 60120

What:
The Downtown Neighborhood Association of Elgin presents Out to Lunch, an opportunity to explore new restaurants and meet new people. Our guest for August is Jeff Swoboda, Chief of Operations, Elgin Police Department. His duties include ROPE, Community Relations/Crime prevention, Crime Free Housing and Nuisance Abatement.

Choice of a Club or Pulled Chicken sandwich with a fruit cup and the Chef's choice of dessert. $8.00 including a soft drink. Tax and gratuity not included.

RSVP to (847)488-1456 by August 25th.

Out to Dinner at Al's Cafe and Creamery

When: Tuesday, August 8th at 6 p.m.
Where:
Al's Cafe
43 DuPage Ct.
Elgin, IL 60120

What:
Join us for a night of networking and dining with guest speakers Kriss Knowles from the Small Business Development Center and Jim Kendall, a marketing consultant. We will be discussing the pros and cons of marketing in Downtown Elgin.

How: Please RSVP by 5 pm on Monday August 7th by calling 847.488.1456.

July Out to Lunch

DNA’s Out to Lunch
Where:
Al's Cafe & Creamery
43 Dupage Court
Elgin, IL 60120

When: Monday, July 31st at Noon

Your choice of sandwich plus pop and a chocolate chip cookie for your sweet tooth for $7.50
Chicken Teriyaki
Char-grilled teriyaki marinated chicken breast, topped with melted Muenster cheese and grilled pineapple, served a toasted deluxe bun with lettuce and mayonnaise.
Eastside Roast Beef
Slice roast beef, sautéed onions, green peppers and mushrooms, melted Colby cheese on a bun with horseradish spread on the side.

Our guest will be the Rev. Neris Diaz-Cabello, the new EHN president and the Chaplain at Sherman Hospital.
RSVP at (847)488-1456 for your summer lunch and business networking by July 28th!!

Kickoff Meeting for the Downtown Streetscape Improvement Project

When: Thursday, July 27th ay 7 p.m.
Where: The Centre of Elgin, 100 Symphony Way, Heritage Ballroom
What: The first informational meeting will be to meet with the public to explain the scope of the project and get some preliminary input on the types of improvements residents and business owners would like to see.

The city has engaged TranSystems Corporation and DLK Civic Design to provide design services for water main and water service replacement, streetscape amenities construction and street resurfacing. The consultant team will develop a master plan for the streetscape components of the improvements. There will be multiple opportunities for public involvement. The master plan will be prepared for the entire Downtown before the construction process begins in 2007 and the master plan will incorporate public input.

Timeline
• 2007 underground, 2008 surface: Chicago Street from State to Center, Spring Street from Chicago to Highland, and DuPage Street from Spring to Center.
• 2008 underground, 2009 surface: Douglas Avenue from Chicago to Symphony Way, Symphony from Douglas to Dundee Avenue, and Division Street from Douglas to Center Street.
• 2009 underground, 2010 surface: Highland Avenue from State Street (Illinois 31) to Center, Grove from Highland to city hall, and Center from Dexter Street to Kimball Street.
• 2010 underground, 2011 surface: Spring from Highland to Kimball and Dexter Avenue from city hall to Center.

Link to the July 22nd Courier News article.

Please participate in this process so your input can be part of the plan. For more information, contact John Loete at (847) 931-6001.

June Out to Lunch

When: Monday, June 26th, 2006 at 12 pm
Where: Cafe Magdalena
13 Douglas Ave
Elgin, IL
What: Guest speaker Councilman John Walters. Lunch is a pasta buffet for $7 including soda.
How: To RSVP call 847.488.1456 before June 23rd.

Harvest Market is Back!

Harvest Market is back for 2006. Every Thursday until September 28th from 12 pm to 6 pm in the Civic Center Parking lot at Highland and Grove (across from the post office).

Fresh vegetables, bread, flowers, plants, French pastries, honey and more...

Brewfest 2006

Brewfest is back for 2006. Join us on June 16th and 17th on Prairie St. in front of the Prairie Rock Brewing Company, 127 S. Grove, Elgin IL.

Elgin 1440 Photography Exhibit

The Elgin 1440 Photography Exhibit featuring the works of 69 different photographers taken May 2, 2006 is currently on display at the Gail Borden Public Library, 270 North Grove. The 175 photo collection will be on display on the main art wall and on the second floor in Adult Services through July 10.

Elgin Post Office Book Drive

The Elgin Post Office is hosting a book drive for the Elgin community, from now through July 31st. Drop off new or gently used books at the Elgin Post office’s main office, 66 Grove Court. They will be distributed to families in the Elgin community. For details call 847.741.0725.

June Out to Dinner

Out to Dinner
What: An opportunity to network with Downtowners and meet with Councilman David Kaptain
When: Tuesday, June 13th at 6 pm
Where: Bangkok House & Shanghai Restaurant
11 Douglas Ave
Elgin, IL
How: RSVP to 847.488.1456 or email by June 12th
Cost: $12 for a buffet dinner

News From New Orleans

The National Main Street Conference is in New Orleans this week. Norma Miess and Jennifer Benson are representing Elgin and have these thoughts to share.

French Quarter is Open!!!
If there was only one idea I could convey and get across to the readers of this blog about the status of the French Quarter in New Orleans is that it's open and waiting for ya'll to visit and enjoy. Though touched by Hurricane Katrina last August, it did not have flood damage but only wind damage. Nine months of clean-up and repair in this area have left only some buildings in disrepair as far as some roofs, windows, and trees damaged and new trees being planted. After talking to three different business they all mentioned that businesses that aren't open because the tourists are not here. With tourists believing the general hype that there is nothing open and that everything here is flattened and destroyed. The French Quarter still has most of the vibrancy that I remember from when I was here in 2003. So don't postpone your plans in coming to the Big Easy!!!

National Main Street Conference
With 1200 attendees, not counting all of the LA staff, National Trust staff and speakers, this conference has been successful in staying with New Orleans as it's host city through all of the tragedy. Though a main reason for attending conferences is the sessions, there is also the award ceremony, the opening and closing programs, tours, clean-ups, networking and the Main Street Expo. Along with fellow Illinois Main Street executive directors (Antioch, Waukegan, Libertyville and others), we were able to network with programs from Iowa, Indiana, Oklahoma, Maine and National, State and Preservation agencies. At the Expo we ran into streetscape vendors of light poles, street furniture, banners and holiday decorations.

The Opening Reception was held at Jackson Square, a beautiful historical city park right in the heart of the French Quarter. A great chance to enjoy networking with the attendees from around the country.

Highlights at the Opening Session included a national trends survey naming 5 top challenges for Downtown revitalization organizations:

• Small business survival
• Funds
• Development issues
• Competition for volunteers
• Rebuilding infrastructure

Other emerging trends affecting the revitalization field are the shifting concept of "community", diversifying demographics, and the lack of novelty or excitement.

Mitchell J. Landrieu, Lt. Governor of Louisiana reported on the relief efforts and the need for his office to address the effort with reduced staff.

Some of the sessions we participated in are:
* Asset-based Economic Development - Heritage tourism
* Preserving and Promoting a Sense of Place
* Effective Downtown Marketing through the Web
* Developing and Effective Pledge Campaign
* Target Markets & Events Calendar Development


Photos and more reports will be posted upon Norma and Jennifer's return.

Budget Roundtable Tonight

Don't forget the Budget Roundtable Discussion tonight.
It is hosted by the City of Elgin and Elgin Community Network. The Mayor and City Council Members will be on hand to speak with stakeholders to gather community input on the upcoming 2007 Budget process. To reserve your spot please contact RuthAnne Hall at 847-931-6104 or email.

The Downtown Neighborhood Association will be participating and suggesting a joint marketing effort between the city and businesses to promote downtown Elgin. Arlington Heights has run a similiar campaign for several years.

Tower Building Eagle

Photo by Kirk Lawler

"An eagle looks to the sun...
One of the many noteworthy architectural details of the Elgin Tower building. Completed in 1929, this example of the Art Deco style is still Elgin's tallest building."

If you'd like a print of this photo, stop by the DNA office at 2 Douglas and it can be yours for a mere $15. While you're there, take a few minutes to view the other photos of downtown Elgin provided by Kirk Lawler.

Maps on the City of Elgin Web Site

Various maps are available on the city of Elgin web site.

Some downtown maps of note.
Neighborhood Association Map
Enterprise Zone Map
TIF District Map
Capital Improvement Project Map
Current & Proposed Development Downtown Map

Chicago White Sox World Series Trophy Tour

Get your photo taken with the World Series trophy and capture the memory of a lifetime!

When: Tuesday, June 6th from 3 pm to 6 pm
Where: The Centre of Elgin
How:

• Please provide your own camera. Make sure to bring extra batteries!
• We request a $10 per party donation to Chicago White Sox Charities. Cash donations only, please.
• Access to the Trophy is on a first-come, first-served basis.
• We recommend arriving early. Wait times have been exceeding one hour. If you have small children, we suggest bringing a small activity to keep them engaged.
• We will end the line once the "wait" time exceeds the end time of the event
  
  
  For more information, please call 312-674-5197
  

I Spy Downtown - Elgin Picture Riddles

I Spy Downtown - Elgin Picture Riddles

Search for the architectural details pictured
in the flyer. Write the address of the buildings in
the spaces provided. All entries receive a
free "Exploring Elgin" coloring book upon
completion. Correctly completed entries will
be entered into a raffle for prizes from area
businesses.

Entries are due at the Tower Building at
2 Douglas Ave. from 8:30a - 5:00p M-F;
or through the mail slot by June 9th,2006.

Pressure Washing of Parking Decks

Alliance Window Cleaning will be pressure washing the parking deck at
Douglas Ave. and Symphony Way beginning at 9:30 p.m. Friday May 26th.
The contractors are recommending that all vehicles be removed from the
deck.

The company will be power washing all City parking decks over the next
few weeks. Signs will be posted on the days prior to cleaning. If there
are any questions or concerns please call the Elgin Public Works
facility at 847-697-3160.

Main Street Showcase

Yesterday, I spent the day in the atrium of the Thompson Center promoting Elgin. Main Street representatives from Batavia, Genoa, Libertyville, Lombard, Pontiac, Prophetstown and Waukegan were spreading the word that there is life in the downtowns of cities of all sizes.



Some of the reasons people stopped to chat.

• Three people asked about the Elgin Symphony Orchestra and took brochures (None of them knew we had a symphony)
• One was considering a move to Elgin and another visitor's daughter had just moved here.
• Two people had recently stopped in Elgin while biking.
• A couple from South Elgin commented on the improvements.

Links to the materials.

Downtown Directory

Out to Lunch Photos, April and May

Akina's on April 24th, 2006

El Rincon de Pastigel Restaurant on May 22nd, 2006

Fresh Coat of Paint on City's Web Site

The city of Elgin's web site has a new look. The content is the same but the colors, photos and logo have changed.

City seeks National Night Out group participation

The Elgin Police Department and the National Association of Town Watch will sponsor local participation in the 23rd Annual National Night Out crime prevention celebration on Tuesday, Aug. 1.
National Night Out is seen as an opportunity to build neighborhood unity and strengthen police-community partnerships, heighten crime awareness, and generate support and participation for local anti-crime programs. Police say it also is a chance to send a message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.
Neighborhood Watch groups and associations are encouraged to participate in this year's National Night Out by sponsoring a block party on Aug. 1 from 6 to 9 p.m. Last year, more than 40 neighborhoods joined in the effort to make it a successful event.

To register a neighborhood for National Night Out 2006, people should call the police Department at (847) 289-2626. All registrations must be submitted no later than Friday, June 23, to be recognized by the city.

Memorial Day Activities

Don't forget to honor those who have given their lives for our freedom. The true purpose of Memorial Day.

Elgin Marine Corp League and Northern Kane County Viet NOW Floral Tribute
Time: 9:45 a.m.
Location: Highland Avenue Bridge

Or later on attend the ceremony at Bluff City Cemetery. Get there early, the event is well attended.
Elgin Patriotic Memorial Association Program
Time: 11:00 a.m.
Location: Bluff City Cemetery

No need to cook, breakfast and lunch can be had at the:
Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast
Enjoy all-you-can-eat pancakes!
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Location: Hemmens Cultural Center, Lower Level
Cost: $5 per person, tickets will be available on Memorial day

Outdoor Exhibition Group's 6th Annual Rib Fest
Enjoy food, drinks, music and children's activities. Event is free to the public. To enter the competition or for more information, call Milt Evans at 847-742-8736.
Time: 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Location: Walton Island

Feel competitive?
Try the 29th Annual Elgin Valley Fox Trot
5K Race, 10 Mile Race and Family Fun Walk and Corporate Challenge. Race starts at 8:00 a.m. sharp in front of City Hall.

Check the City of Elgin web site for more information.

Design Competition for the Veterans Memorial Park

The Veteran’s Memorial Park Committee has developed a design competition to seek qualified proposals for a veteran’s memorial which will be the main feature of the park. This competition will result in the selection of a design proposal that will be used to create the veteran’s memorial.

Submission of design proposals to the committee are due June 15, 2006
Selection of the winning proposal is on August 30, 2006

This competition is open to all interested parties. All qualified proposals will be considered. The winning design proposal selected by the Elgin City Council will receive a $10,000 Award. The memorial site parameters are listed in the design packets that will be available to the public at City Hall the receptionist desk or you can download from the link.
For additional information please contact Sally Rasmussen at 847-931-5939.

Today is Syttende Mai (17th of May)

May 17 is Norwegian Constitution Day, or grunnlovsdag, commonly known as "Syttende Mai." Syttende Mai (literally, "17th of May") is a celebration of the day in 1814 when Norway's constitution was signed in the town of Eidsvoll, Norway.
Children's parades with an abundance of flags form the central elements of the celebration. So wave a Norwegian flag and eat some lutefisk. Never heard of lutefisk, well the direct translation is lye fish. My personal experience with it was as a Christmas Eve tradition. I never did eat it for two reasons. First, the smell and second, the fact that my parents had to use stainless steel utensils because the silverware tarnished upon contact with the lutefisk.

May Out to Lunch

Date: May 22nd
Time: 12 pm
Location: El Pastigel Rincon, 154 E. Chicago St. Elgin, IL
- Our guest speaker is Shari Matthews Huizar, the Executive Director from Centro de Informacion. The price is $7 including soda. Please RSVP to 847.488.1456 by May 19th.

New Drive-Up Window at the Library

The Gail Borden Public Library is very pleased to offer the new drive-up service. Customers may call ahead to request books, DVDs, music CDs, recorded books and CD Roms for pick up at the drive-up window. To ensure prompt service, customers are asked to allow 2 hours to process requests and to limit requests to 5 items. Customers may call (847) 742-2411 to request drive-up service. Customers will be asked to come inside for library card registration and payment for fines or lost materials.

Behind-the-Scenes Museum Tour

Celebrate International Museum Day with a Behind-the-Scenes Museum Tour!
Let your curiosity take you behind the scenes at Elgin Historical Museum, 360 Park St. Tours will be conducted on May 17th at 1 PM, 3 PM, and 5 PM. Advance regstration recommended. For additional information contact the Old Main Museum at 847-742-4248.

How Far Does Our Web Presence Reach?

The Internet exposes life in Elgin, IL to the world. The vast majority of visitors to the DNA's web site and blog are from the Fox Valley but every week there are hits from other states and other countries. Today I took note of a visitor from Cote d'Ivoire. Now it has been many years since my last geography test but I still recognize most countries listed in the log but this one stood out so I did a quick Google search to enlighten me. These are the facts on Cote d'Ivoire according to the CIA. Go to the link for all the details.

Cote d'Ivoire
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia
Area - Comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico
Climate: tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October)
Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay, cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower
Population: 17,654,843
Note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2006 est.)
Economy - overview: Cote d'Ivoire is among the world's largest producers and exporters of coffee, cocoa beans, and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these products and weather conditions.

Now if I had studied French it wouldn't have taken me until this point for the light bulb to go off and to realize that Cote d'Ivoire was formerly known as the Ivory Coast. The Google translation is Dimension Ivory, so maybe someone that did study French can comment on the translation.

If the person who viewed our site from Cote d'Ivoire happens to read this, please post a comment so we know the circuitous (I had to use the dictionary for this one) path that lead you to us.

Anyone else who uses the web to keep up with What's Happening Here or just happened to land here, please post a comment to let us know where you are located and what you were looking for.
It would interesting to hear from our regular visitors from Arizona, France and Texas.

Police Officer Memorial Service

The Elgin Police Department is hosting the Annual Police Officer Memorial Service Monday, May 15th at 2:30 pm. It will be held in front of the police station at 151 Douglas Ave. The service is held annually to pay respect to officers who were killed in the line of duty locally and across the country as well as those members who have passed away during the past year.

The week of May 14th through May 22nd is National Police Week.

Preservation Month Activities - May 12 to May 18

“Historic Visions” A Gallery Walk in Downtown Elgin
The Downtown Neighborhood Association invites you to a special gallery walk May 17th from 5pm to 9pm showcasing Elgin’s vibrant history, as various artists - Elgin Area Historical Society, Keith French, Kirk Lawler, Warren Mogler, and Robert Winner - share their vision of historic preservation at Elgin in several Downtown locations:
Hines Building at 24 Douglas Ave.
The Elgin Tower Building at 2 Douglas Ave.
Pastigel at 154 E. Chicago Street
Elgin Books at 209 E. Chicago St
Kirkpatrick, Jones & Sharf Insurance at 19 S. Spring St.
Attendees may enter a free raffle for a framed architectural detail in Downtown Elgin courtesy of Artistic Framing and Supplies and professional photographer Kirk Lawler. This event is organized by the Downtown Neighborhood Association's Design Committee as part of the Preservation Month activities and in an effort to promote the rich and historic architecture of Downtown Elgin. For more information, please call (847)488-1456 or visit www.downtownelgin.org

I Spy Downtown... An Architectural Hunt for Kids
Bring the whole family in a search of architectural details throughout the various buildings in Downtown Elgin. Enjoy the unique historic atmosphere on an ongoing self guided treasure hunt as part of the Preservation Month activities. Find the "I Spy Downtown" flier at the Gail Borden Public Library (270 N. Grove), at Al’s Café & Creamery (43 Dupage Court), and the Downtown Neighborhood Association's office ( 2 Douglas Avenue). Completed entries can be returned at 2 Douglas Avenue between M-F 8:30 - 5:00pm and will receive a FREE “Exploring Elgin” coloring book. Correct entries will be entered into a raffle for prizes from Al’s Café & Creamery, Elgin Area Historical Society, Elgin Books, and photographer Kirk Lawler. Don't miss it! The deadline for entries is June 9th. This event is organized by the Downtown Neighborhood Association's Design Committee in an effort to promote the rich and historic architecture of Downtown Elgin. For more information, please call (847)488-1456 or visit www.downtownelgin.org

Sell to the City

Do you have an Elgin business that is interested in selling your product to the city? Then this is an opportunity for you.

The City of Elgin is hosting a vendor fair for their employees. This will be an opportunity for Elgin businesses to showcase their products and services to the City employees. Every Elgin business is eligible but due to space constraints selected vendors will be chosen based on response, vendor variety and employees' needs.
The goal is to provide businesses access to City employees as potential customers. It is recommended that participating vendors provide samples, offer coupons or discounted rates for individual employee purchase. There is no fee for participation in the event.
The event will be held on Tuesday June 27 from 10 am to 1 pm at The Centre Heritage Ballroom.
All interested merchants must complete an application and return it to Daina DeNye, City of Elgin Purchasing Department, 150 Dexter Court, Elgin IL 60120, fax (847) 931-5689, no later than June 6, 2006.
If you have any questions regarding this event, please email Daina Denye at denye_d@cityofelgin.org or call 847-931-5604.

Construction on Riverside Drive and Grove Ave

Novak Construction, the General Contractor doing the construction on Riverside and Grove Streets will begin May 8, 2006. The work on Grove will require a large excavation in the public sidewalk along the west side of the street. The work will be done on the west half of the road from the center line toward the building requiring southbound lane closures during the day. Flagmen will be used to direct traffic in the remaining northbound lane and trench platting at night.

Please avoid the portion of Grove Avenue between Chicago and Spring if possible.

This Weekend during Preservation Month, May 4 - May 6

Thursday, May 4
Mayor's Awards for Preservation
The Elgin Heritage Commission honors outstanding contributors to Elgin's heritage. Honorees have demonstrated their dedication to older architecture, neighborhoods and history.
Sponsored by the Elgin Heritage Commission.
Call Sarosh Saher at (847) 931-5943.
Location: Heritage Ballroom, The Centre of Elgin.
Time: 6:00pm to 9:00pm. (Ceremony at 7:00pm.)

Saturday, May 6
The Great Unveiling
Celebrate the 9th Annual Great Unveiling as neighborhood organizations sponsor the removal of substitute siding in an old fashioned barn raising atmosphere at two Elgin residences. Free volunteer labor and a monetary gift is provided to property owners that have applied to have the nonoriginal artificial siding removed from their historic homes. It's a busy day for all volunteers!
Sponsored by the Northeast Neighborhood Association (NENA) and Admirers of Beautiful Old Dwellings of Elgin (ABODE).
Contact Jeff Gill at (847) 468-1926 or Brian Anderson at (847) 741-1177.
Location: 856 North Spring St.
Time: 9:00am - noon. (lunch will be served)

Firefighters Memorial Service
Listed on the National Register of Historical Places, Elgin Fire Barn No.5 is the appropriate site for a memorial service and dedication ceremony to honor firefighters who died in the line of duty this past year and retirees from Elgin and nearby communities.
Sponsored by the Elgin Fire Department and Elgin Fire Barn No. 5.
Contact Timothy Ryan at (847) 931-6175.
Location: Elgin Fire Barn No. 5 at 533 St. Charles Street.
Time: 11:00am.

Walk it, See it, Feel it
An educational walking tour of West Elgin that will use history, stories, and hands-on experience to enhance participants knowledge of Elgin's development as a city. Learn about the influences that shaped development of West Elgin, the Kimball Family, pre-Civil War architecture, cobblestone buildings, the topography of the area, and the social changes that continue to influence this part of the city.
Sponsored by the Elgin Area Historic Society
Contact Mary Hill at (847) 695-9659 or eahs360@foxvalley.net.
Location: 52 N. Crystal Street. Park on neighborhood streets.
Time: 1:00pm.

CInco de Mayo Carnival, Fest and Parade

Carnival and Fest
Rides, food vendors, entertainment, games, information booths and more!! The Fest will be from May 4th thru May 7th on the corner of N. Grove and Kimball in the old Gail Borden parking lot.

The hours are Thursday 5pm-10pm, Friday 5pm-11pm, Saturday 12pm-11pm , and Sunday 12pm-10pm. Unlimited ride specials will be on Thursday 5pm-9pm and Saturday and Sunday 12pm-4pm.

Parade
Saturday, May 6th at 10 am
The Cinco de Mayo parade will start at Fulton and Spring (between ECC Fountain Square Campus and the Fulton St. Parking garage). It will proceed North on Spring Street and turn West onto Symphony Way ending at the Fest location.

For more information call 847.488.1456

Hemmens 2006-2007 Season

The Hemmens 2006 - 2007 season was announced yesterday. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. May 24. Call (847) 931-5900 or visit http://www.hemmens.org/ for details. Read the April 28th Daily Herald article here.

2006
•Rock band Survivor: 7 p.m. Aug. 8.
•Paramount’s LaserSpectacular featuring the music of Pink Floyd: 8 p.m. Sept. 23
•Chicago singer/songwriter Cathy Richardson: at 8 p.m. Sept. 29.
•Country star Phil Vassar: 8 p.m. Sept. 30.
•Glenn Miller Orchestra: 3 p.m. Oct. 1
•Political satirists Capitol Steps: 8 p.m. Oct. 13.
•Political satirist P.J. O’Rourke: 8 p.m. Oct. 14.
•Blues legend Bo Diddley: 8 p.m. Oct. 20.
•New age pianist George Winston: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7.
•Blues legend B.B. King: 8 p.m. Nov. 9.
•Comedian and actress Kathy Griffin: 8 p.m. Nov. 10.
•British Invasion seminal figure Eric Burdon & The Animals: 8 p.m. Nov. 11.
•Singer Kathy Mattea: 8 p.m. Nov. 17.
•Award-winning composer Marvin Hamlisch: 8 p.m. Nov. 18.
•Grammy-winning gospel, country and jazz group Aaron Neville Quartet featuring Charles Neville: Dec. 1.
•New age and world music from David Cullen, Will Ackerman, Philip Aaberg and Samite, of Windam Hill: 8 p.m. Dec. 2.
•Country group Oak Ridge Boys: 8 p.m. Dec. 16.

2007
•Southern African vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo: 8 p.m. Feb. 16
•Dancing illusionists MOMIX: 7 p.m. Nov. 25
•Celtic singer Natalie MacMaster: 7 p.m. March 11.
•Neil Simon’s play “Lost in Yonkers”: 8 p.m. March 23 and 24.
•Bluegrass act Cherryholmes: April 29
•Jim Peterik & World Stage, a concert with top musicians and songwriters celebrating Peterik’s 35-year career in music: 8 p.m. May 18

Seeking Artists

The American Association of University Women-Elgin branch is seeking artists to exhibit at the 47th annual Art Showcase of the Elgin Fine Arts Festival, Aug. 5-6, in Elgin's Civic Center Plaza. Only original work will be accepted. Entry deadline is May 1, or until all sites are filled. For an entry form, send a No. 10 SASE to Art Showcase, 602 Prospect St., Elgin, IL 60120.

Elgin Design Workshop

Attention all Elgin building owners!! Bring your building/business renovation project challenges, projecting sign ideas, and more in to discuss with professional designers and architects.

The workshop will be held on Thursday April 27th from 5pm-8pm at the Downtown Neighborhood Association office on the 1st floor of the Elgin Tower building at 2 Douglas Avenue.

Learn some basic renovation principles you can use on any project and then sign up for a FREE consultation with professionals to point you in the right direction and give you valuable advice.
This workshop is sponsored by the Downtown Neighborhood Association Design Committee. Call 847.488.1456 for more information.

Calling all Photographers, Project Elgin 1440

Project Elgin 1440 is calling on all photographers, amateur and professional, to document a single day in the life of Elgin on Tuesday, May 2.

In the attempt to capture the essence of life in Elgin, project Elgin 1440 seeks to exhibit photographs which will be taken from midnight to midnight on May 2nd within the city of Elgin. Photos will be publicly displayed in the city of Elgin.

Update
The photos are on display until July 10th at the Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove.

Who may submit photographs?
Photographers 14 years and up.

What types of photographs are eligible for display?
You may submit any photographs of people, places, things or events taken in Elgin. We want the photographs to represent the essence of Elgin. We want your personal vision of Elgin. Photos must be suitable for public exhibition.

What format should the photographs be in?
Photographs may be either black and white or color. Prints must be no smaller than 8 x 10 inches and no larger than 11 x 14 inches. They must be matted or mounted on white card stock. Prints should be sent of digital files. Photos should not have been substantially manipulated.

What information should be provided with the photo?
On a label attached to the back of the photo, state the name, address and telephone number of the photographer. It must also include the location and exact time the photograph was taken. Any additional information about the photograph would be helpful.

How many photographs can be submitted?
You may submit no more than five (5) photographs.

When is the deadline?
No later than Monday, May 15 by 5:00 pm

Where do I send the photos?
Gil Feliciano
City of Elgin
150 Dexter Ct.
Elgin, IL 60120
Photos may also be delivered to City Hall.

Photos will not be returned. They will remain the sole property of the City of Elgin with all rights hereunto.

Any further questions may be directly addressed to
Gil Feliciano at 847-931-6019 or via email.

Links to other articles:
Courier News
Points of Life blog
Fox Valley Arts Council

City Interested in Unilever Site

The city is close to acquiring the Unilever site on State St. Read the Courier article. This would open up a view to the river from State St.
Link to Unilever site.
Link to parking lot on State.
Link to parking lot on Crystal.

The Moose Lodge across the street from the Unilever plant is also for sale. Read the Daily Herald article here.

Gail Borden Library Presented Marshall Cavendish Excellence Award

The Gail Borden Public Library is the winner of the Marshall Cavendish Excellence in Library Programming Award for its project "GIANTS: African Dinosaurs," created by Project Exploration. Congratulations for a job well done. What's next?

See the details below:
"Marshall Cavendish Excellence in Library Programming Award named."American Library Association. 2006.

The Downtown Elgin Blog is Back

We were identified as a Spam Blog by Bloggers automated system and have been out of commission since Friday. A human finally reviewed the blog and gave it the OK to go back online. See the email from Blogger below:

Hi there,
Thanks for writing in. It seems that your blog was mistakenly targeted by our automated spam classifying system. However, I have checked your blog and can verify that it complies with our Terms of Service. I was able to restore it to your account, so you should see it the next time you log in. I also whitelisted it so that this problem will not recur. Note that you will need to republish your blog in order for it to be visible online again. We apologize for any inconvenience this issue has caused.

Sincerely,
Sarah
Blogger Support

Thank you Sarah. I was feeling like Dave in 2001 A Space Odyssey. "Sorry Dave, I can't do that."

The Elginite - Elgin blog: Kresmery Art Center anyone?

The Elginite has two articles on an Art Center in downtown. He has done his homework on this one. I provided the links and full text below.

The Elginite - Elgin blog: Kresmery Art Center anyone?

Part One
The more I examine this picture of Kurt Kresmery's warehouse on the old Waverly House site, the more impressed I am. To me, it looks like an ingenius blend of several styles--Classical Revival, Commercial/Chicago, Deco perhaps. It's really beautiful. A little cleaning would make it look marvelous. Since the Courier's story seemed to suggest that Mr. Kresmery may still be considering ways to reuse the building, I thought I would mention one possible use: an art center. Many other communities have them. They're frequently housed in an old industrial building. And I think this building is particularly suited for the purpose.Have you been to Lillstreet Art Center in Chicago? I was there one time last year to examine their pottery studios and their ceramics. I was really impressed. It would be great to see something like that in Elgin.The benefits of an art center extend beyond those who use it. It can catalyze urban renewal. Look at what happened in South Florida:

ArtCenter was established in 1984 by a small group of artists who envisioned a potential cultural renaissance in what was then a blighted and vacant Lincoln Road. In partnership with the City of Miami Beach, the group obtained Federal Community Development Block Grant funds to acquire properties and create an artists' colony in 21 storefront spaces. Since then, ArtCenter has become the cultural and economic catalyst for the revitalization of the Lincoln Road neighborhood and South Beach. In 1986, the City of Miami Beach recognized the success of our founders' vision by designating ArtCenter's three-block area as the Lincoln Road Arts District.
Today, Lincoln Road is a lively magnet for culture, entertainment, retail business and community activity, and Miami Beach is arguably the cultural center of South Florida. Now recognized as one of Miami-Dade County's major cultural institutions, ArtCenter operates from its three historic buildings at 800, 810 and 924 Lincoln Road. The nearly 60,000 square foot campus encompasses 52 artists' studios, exhibition galleries, art education classrooms and administrative offices. Of the 7.2 million international and national visitors to Miami/South Beach annually, hundreds of thousands walk down Lincoln Road and view ArtCenter's display windows and
exhibitions. For its role in the shaping of South Florida's cultural landscape, ArtCenter has received recognition from local media such as New Times, which in 1997 called us the "best gallery in Miami", and from national media such as The Wall Street Journal, which in 1998 reported that our "presence has transformed the area...into a hub of commerce." In its May and November 1999 issues featuring the Greater Miami art community, Art in America magazine highlighted ArtCenter's "impact on the Miami art scene and its emerging profile" describing ArtCenter as "a gathering place for talented and ambitious young Miami artists."
(source: ArtCenter South Florida website)

These art centers are generally run by nonprofits, which means Mr. Kresmery may need to accomplish this transformation from "blight" to destination through a great act of philanthropy, donating the building to a nonprofit and taking the deduction against his River Park Place profits. Since property prices are currently inflated, this may be more financially attractive than it sounds.Here are some community art centers, which may give you an idea of what a Kresmery Art Center might look like:
Lillstreet Art Center (Chicago)
Kimball Art Center (Park City, Utah)
Lawrence Arts Center (Lawrence, Kansas)
ArtCenter/ South Florida (Miami Beach, Florida)
Gallery 37 Center for the Arts (Chicago)
Steamboat Springs Art Council (Steamboat Springs, Colorado)
Sedona Arts Center (Sedona, Arizona)

The Elginite - Elgin blog: More about an arts center

Part Two
Last week I mentioned the possibility of an art(s) center in Elgin. I may not have been clear about what I meant. Some museums call themselves art centers, but by art center I didn't mean museum (though Elgin can use one of those too). What I meant was a place that offers art programs and instruction, galleries, studios and so on; a place where artists work, not just a place where their works are displayed. Here are some more examples: Artspace Fort Worth Community Arts Center Arlington Center for the Arts Beverly Arts Center - Chicago Contemporary Artists Center (CAC) - North Adams Torpedo Factory Art Center - AlexandriaThe last two of these are especially interesting. Both are housed in massive old industrial buildings. The Beaver Mill, home of the CAC, is a 130,000 sq ft historic brick and stone mill... The CAC comprises 25,000 sq ft of the building and houses five galleries, a residency hall, and approximately 12,000 sq ft of studio space. (source: CACNorth Adams)Yeah that's big. As for the Torpedo Factory, it has 3 levels of 84 artist studios, 8 group studios and 6 galleries. The Torpedo Factory's experience may be instructive for Elgin: Work began on the building in May of 1974, with artists and the City of Alexandria working together to renovate, build and clean out the interior...By July, artists had converted the huge space into a complex of bright and clean studios. Most of the studio spaces had been reserved by that time from a list of juried artists.By 1983, the building needed major repairs and improvements. As part of a sale/lease-back agreement (a use of special federal tax provisions allowing for renovation of historic buildings), the building was sold to Alexandria Art Center Associates, leased back from AACA by the City, and subleased to the Torpedo Factory Artists' Association. As part of the sale agreement, the City had a one time repurchase option to be exercised in 1998.The City Council approved the repurchase on August 31, 1998. The purchase price was negotiated in a prescribed series of appraisals. A balloon payment from the original loan to AACA in 1983 covered most of the purchase cost.In the lease agreement that ran from 1983 to 1998, the City was responsible on an annual basis for many operating costs, a percentage of real estate taxes, and 1/3 of the utilities in addition to annual rent payments. Since 1983, the City and the artists have split equally the operating costs of the Art Center including the payroll for city staff.In 1994, the Office of Budget and Management did a management study of the Art Center. At this time a recommendation to "privatize" the Art Center in 1998 was made by the City Manager. Over the last two years, the Artists' Association and the City have negotiated parameters which govern the privatization.On September 1, 1998 the Artists' Association took over all management of the building, and the City now acts as landlord. Factored into the artists' rent were the repurchase cost in excess of the balloon payment, including 62% (a number based on the artist-occupied percentage of the building) of the interest, general service operating costs, and all future maintenance and repair costs excluding exterior repairs. The artists are responsible for 62% of utility costs. All other operating costs are borne by the artists, including all administrative, janitorial, security, staff, advertising, printing, minor building maintenance, lighting supplies, and insurance for the entire building. (source: Torpedo Factory)In my view, projects like this may offer a higher return and incur fewer risks than the boondoggles to which we have become accustomed.

Full-text Courier and Herald articles on GBL site from The Elginite - Elgin blog

Good tip from The Elginite.

A month or so ago, I discovered that you could get old Chicagoland (Elgin Daily Courier, Herald, Chicago Tribune, Sun Times) newspaper articles on the Gail Borden Public Library site.

It looks like about 10 years worth of articles have been indexed and are available to anyone with a GBL library card. The periodicals librarian didn't know about this database at the time I found it, so my guess is that it's somewhat newly available to us.

Here's the link. And instructions if you need them:

1. Log in with your library card number
2. Select View All by Title
3. Select Chicagoland Newspapers

The Elginite - Elgin blog

Downtown Blog Is One Year Old

The first posting on the downtown blog was on March 11, 2005. It has been a learning experience with many rewards. A year ago many in the community didn't know what a blog was. Now, the blog has become the source for downtown information. It has enhanced the presence of downtown Elgin in internet search engines. We have been able to rapidly add new features such as a community calendar, mapping and photo sharing.

In year two we will be moving many of the side bar features to a revamped web site while shifting the focus of the blog to downtown stories and coverage of events. I look forward to another year of posts and comments.

29th Annual Jane Chipman Memorial Lenten Organ Recitals

The Music Ministry of the First Congregational Church of Elgin and Jon Warfel, organist and music director, present the 29th Annual series of Jane Chipman Memorial Lenten Organ Recitals starting promptly at noon March 3rd. This half hour concert is free and open to the public.

The series was conceived by the late Jane Chipman. She invited organists from around the Fox Valley to come to FCC and present their talents for the enjoyment of the community. This will be the first series performed since the death of Mrs. Chipman last year. The church's current Music Director and Organist, Jon Warfel, plans and directs the Lenten programs. Jon's background includes being involved with several area churches and organizations including the Director of Music at Fox Valley Presbyterian Church in Geneva and Organist at Community Congregational church in Batavia. He has been the Director of Choral Activities at Waubonsee Community College since 1977. In addition since 2000 Jon has directed the Naperville Chamber Singers. He performs regularly with the "Buffalo Shufflers, a Roaring Twenties Show Band." In 1992 Mr. Warfel was chosen the outstanding Young Alumni of Northern Illinois University and in 1995 he received the Faculty of the Year Award from Waubonsee Community College. Jon has been a featured artist with the Orchestra of Illinois, The Illinois Chamber Symphony and the Fox Valley Symphony. The Lenten Organ series starts on March 3rd and runs through Good Friday. All concerts are held at the First Congregational Church at 256 E. Chicago St. Elgin. The church office can be reached at 847-741-4045.

This year's schedule is as follows:

3-03 Charles Sega, Director of Music/Organist, St. David's Episcopal Church Glenview

3-10 Richard Spantikow, Organist/Choirmaster, All Saints Episcopal Church, Western Springs

3-17 Jon Warfel, Music Director/Organist, First Congregational Church,
Elgin

3-24 Howard Bakken, Former Director of Music/Organist, First Congregational Church, Elgin

3-31 Deborah Ayotte

4-7 John Kevin Linker, Director of Music/Organist, Church of the Good
Shepherd, Lexington, KY

4-14 Requiem in d minor, by Joseph Rheinberger, Chancel Choir
of First Congregational Church Elgin

Elgin Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Wins Awards

Congratulations to the Elgin Area Convention and Visitors Bureau for receiving top honors in three categories at the 2006 Illinois Governor's Conference on Tourism. The awards were for Best Visitors Guide, Best E-Newsletter, and Best Single Print Advertisement, for material produced in 2005.

Read the Courier News article here.

The EACVB serves 13 communities, including Bartlett, Carpentersville, East Dundee, Elgin, Gilberts, Hampshire, Huntley, Lake in the Hills, Marengo, Sleepy Hollow, South Elgin, Union and West Dundee.
For more information, call (847) 695-7540 or visit http://www.northernfoxrivervalley.com/ .

Deadline for Elgin Mayor’s Awards for Preservation

Today is the last day to submit a nomination for the Mayor’s Awards for Preservation.

For more information or questions regarding the Mayor’s Awards please contact Cindy Walden at 847-931-5910. Nomination are due by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 1, 2006, to Cindy Walden, Planning Department, City Hall, 150 Dexter Court, Elgin, Illinois, 60120-5555. Those selected to receive a Mayor’s Award will be notified by April 2006.

Elgin Receives Grant for Historic Survey

The State of Illinois has awarded a $10,920.00 grant to Elgin for an intensive downtown survey of historic resources dating from 1840-1880. A new surge of downtown redevelopment has raised concerns for these remaining historic resources, since a large portion of Elgin was demolished between 1950-1960 to make way for urban renewal and civic center parking.
Contact Sarosh Saher (847) 931-5943 for more information.

Crocker Parking Lot to Close March 1st

The Crocker parking lot will close on March 1st to allow construction to begin on the River Park Place condominium project.
Alternate parking can be found in the new Fulton St. parking deck and on street parking is available on Grove Avenue and Prairie Street.

Corporate Friday's at Let's Meet for Coffee

Lachell Jeffries, the owner of Let's Meet for Coffee, is starting a new program on February 24th called Corporate Friday. Your company provides a T-shirt with your company name and brochures and they will wear your shirt and display the brochures. All they ask is for you to send people into the shop to buy coffee.

Chase Bank has signed up for Friday and the next few weeks are already filled. Call Lachell at (847)289-1122 if you are interested in participating.

Let's Meet for Coffee
109 E. Highland Ave.
Elgin, IL 60120

Out to Lunch at the DNA Office, February 27th

Lunch and network with us at the DNA office. Sherman Hospital will present the design for the new hospital on the west side and the plan for the existing location on the east side of Elgin. Call (847) 488-1456 to RSVP. Sandwiches from Quizno’s and beverages from Let’s Meet for Coffee will be available.

Monday, February 27th at 12 pm
DNA Office
2 Douglas Ave.
Elgin, IL

Architectural Salvage at Lovellton

Architectural Salvage
Saturday, February 18
Viewing and bidding will take place from 8:00 to 11:00 am
Lovellton
600 Villa St.(Corner of Villa and Liberty)
Elgin, IL

A Silent Auction will be held at Lovellton whose older portion dates to ca. 1870 and newer portions around the turn of the century. Proceeds will be used by the Gifford Park Association for neighborhood projects. Viewing and bidding will take place from 8:00 to 11:00 am. on Saturday February 18. Leave yourself a lot of time as it is a huge building with a lot to see. No one under the age of 18 will be allowed in the building. Everyone entering must sign a statement saying that they have health insurance and sign a waiver of liability. Bring flashlights and wear sturdy boots and warm clothes.

At 2:00 pm winning bids will be posted. Winning bidders can remove their things from then until 9:00 pm, or Sunday, February 19 and Monday February 20 from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm.

Some of the items available for salvage:
Windows, doors, casings and baseboard from many eras.
Faux marble fireplace mantel, large stained glass window, tin ceilings, plaster corbels.
Early 20th cent. oak rail, balustrade and newel.
Thin oak and maple flooring.
Bungalow era built in china cupboard and floor to ceiling kitchen cupboard.

Newer: office furnishings, tables, chairs, couches, beds, wardrobes, counters etc. Commercial stainless kitchen, stainless island with pot rack. Light fixtures, wall to wall carpet/border, register covers, steel shelving.
Two Toro lawn mowers, large water heaters, air conditioning units.
Nice Paintings. Marble counters and pieces.
Professional exercise equipment, ping pong table, basketball hoops.
Upright piano.

For pictures, visit the GPA web site.
Thanks goes out to Steve Swanson of Brownstone Development, Mayor Schock and Ray Moller for making this happen.
If you have questions contact Dan or Pat Miller at 847-697-3370 or email

UPDATE:
Summary of the Lovellton Salvage
The Gifford Park Association was given final salvage rights on Wednesday February 8th, entrance into the building on February 9th with the auction taking place on the 18th. Habitat for Humanity took several small box trucks full of furniture for the ReStore shop. The Larkin Center filled a large, professional moving van with furniture. It took four men a day to move the stuff.
Almost 400 people came through the building to view and bid on things. It took four tanks of propane to keep us warm in the below zero weather on Saturday. George Doscher was our savior when he showed up with a large out door heater. Without being asked, Ricardo Mancha of 155 S. Channing brought his propane heater for us to use.
Twenty-seven volunteers spent a total of 161 hours on the project. It took eight volunteers an hour and a half to sort hundreds of bids coming up with 181 winners in fifty-two separate areas of the building.
Twenty dust masks were donated by GPA and many winning bidders brought their own. Bill Witte won the award for eating the most dust while taking down hundreds of square feet of tin ceiling.
Hundreds of $5.00 minimum bids after the auction were accepted. One gentleman filled a large rental truck with $5.00 beds and armoires.
The General Contractor for Walgreen's sent a worker to supervise us to make sure no one got hurt. He stood under the heater the whole time.
Some of the winning bids:
Front doors $1525
Inner vestibule doors $850
Two sets of parlor doors $650
Stair case $400
Tin ceiling in the parlor $350
Floor in the parlor $350
Stained glass window $350
Fireplace mantle $600
Stainless steel island with pot rack $12.50 was later sold to another party for $62
Prairie style sun porch windows and doors $600
Copper from the basement $130 (the winner got thousands of dollars for the copper)
Copper from the remainder of the building $50 (winner got thousands of dollars for the copper)
We took in a total of $9064 with about $500 in expenses. Thanks goes out to all of our volunteers who braved the cold, Mayor Schock, Ray Moller and Steve Swanson of Brookstone Development for making this happen.

Let's Meet for Coffee Ribbon Cutting

February 13th at 4:30 p.m.
109 E. Highland
(847)289-1122

Valentines Day Activities

Friday, February 10th

• Candlelight Dinner at the Wonderland Center 7:30 p.m. Reservations required (847)888-8558
• Al's Cafe Candlelight Dinner 4 to 9 p.m. Reservations recommended (847)742-1180
• David Sanborn at the Hemmens Cultural Center 8:00 p.m. call (847)931-5900

Saturday, February 11th

• Al's Cafe Candlelight Dinner 4 to 9 p.m. Reservations recommended (847)742-1180

Tuesday, February 14th

• Al's Cafe Candlelight Dinner 4 to 9 p.m. Reservations recommended (847)742-1180
• Singles Night Out at Let's Meet for Coffee 6 to 8:30 p.m. limited seating call (847)289-1122
• Café Magdalena - Enjoy a romantic Italian dinner (847)742-2270
• The Great American Family Diner - Candle lit dining room with live music entertainment and
  dancing. (847)289-0524

More ideas...

• Buy a gift at a downtown shop. Jewelry, books, sporting goods, cigars, flowers and more
• Create your own dinner package at one of the many downtown restaurants

Click the image below for more ideas

Elgin Heritage Commission Seeking Mayor's Awards Nominations

The Elgin Heritage Commission is seeking nominations for the 2006 Elgin Mayor’s Awards for Preservation. These annual awards honor outstanding contributions to Elgin’s heritage and educate the general public of the value of our unique architecture, neighborhoods, and history. The awards further the Heritage Commission’s goals of neighborhood and downtown revitalization to benefit the entire city of Elgin. Three awards are honors of distinction: The Mayor George Van De Voorde Award, The William Stickling Award and The Artisan Award.
Winners are selected by members of the Elgin Heritage Commission, and will be honored at the annual Mayor’s Awards for Preservation event scheduled for Thursday, May 4, 2006 at The Centre of Elgin.
For more information or questions regarding the Mayor’s Awards please contact Cindy Walden at 847-931-5910. Nomination are due by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 1, 2006, to Cindy Walden, Planning Department, City Hall, 150 Dexter Court, Elgin, Illinois, 60120-5555. Those selected to receive a Mayor’s Award will be notified by April 2006.
The Elgin Heritage Commission is a citizen’s advisory board that promotes Elgin’s historic preservation activity through the protection, maintenance and preservation of the City’s architecture, historic and cultural resources. The Elgin Heritage Commission is composed of nine voting members appointed by the Mayor with the consent of the Elgin City Council.

Priority Places - Where Smart Transportation Gets Done!

The Kane County Board is presenting a Smart Transportation workshop on February 22, 2006 at the Q Center in St. Charles. It runs from 7:45 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Agenda Topics include:
-Kane County Transportation and Land Use Connection
-Measuring the Health Effects of Sprawl
-Visual Preference Survey
-Roundabout Development and Implementation
-Transportation and Land Use Innovations
-Mobility Choices
-Lunch

This workshop is the second in a series of implementation workshops for the 2030 Plans. Transportation congestion, diversified housing and sustainable water supply are the three main challenges of the 2030 Plans. Our Transportation Challenge is to coordinate Smart Growth land use planning with Smart Transportation planning to reduce the growth of Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) by 20%. Come hear transportation and land use experts explain how we can meet our transportation challenges in the Urban Corridor and critical Growth Area!

The cost is $20 and pre-registration is required by 2/15/2006, no walk in registration. Call (630)208-3320 for more information

UPDATE: Here's a link the the county's 2030 Plans.

Arts Funding Workshop - February 6th

The Elgin Cultural Arts Commission, Representative Ruth Munson and Senator Steven Rauschenberger are sponsoring an Arts Funding Workshop conducted by the Illinois Arts Councilat 5:00 p.m. in the lower level of the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way in Elgin.

Thousands of dollars are distributed each year for the arts by the Illinois Arts Council. This free workshop will provide information about funding, resources, and programs that will help keep Elgin a vibrant arts community.We are sponsoring this workshop as a service to the organizations in the area that may be eligible for funding. We will discuss what arts programs are available, the application process for grants, and when and how often organizations can apply.

The workshop is free, however seating is limited. Therefore you must be registered to attend. You may register by calling Gil Feliciano at 847-931-6019.

"Giving Hope" in Rwanda Africa

The First Congregational Church of Elgin Mission Grants Committee is hosting Ms. Epiphanine Mujawimana, the program director for the Rwanda YWCA. She oversees the "Giving Hope" program which is empowering orphaned heads of households affected by HIV/AIDS. The program was a recipient of a 2006 Mission Grant.

If you are interested in attending please RSVP at (847)741-4045 by 2/3/2006.

First Congregational Church of Elgin
256 E. Chicago Street (Yahoo! Maps, Google Maps)Elgin, Illinois 60120

Tonight's aring of Chicago Tonight had a segment on the documentary, "Somebody's Child: The Redemption of Rwanda", by Felicia Middlebrooks.

Favorite Children's Book Animals Stamp Unveiling

stamp2
Originally uploaded by downtownelgin.

Postmaster Diane Tindle at the stamp unveiling on Friday at the Gail Borden Public Library. A large crowd was on hand including librarians from the U46 school district. Good planning to have this on a teacher in service day so children could attend. See the previous post for more details on the event.

george
Originally uploaded by downtownelgin.

A photo-op with Curious George, I'm the one on the left. I remember reading his books on trips to the school library during my early years. After seeing this picture I think George and I should visit The Centre and exercise.

Goodyear Building Demolition

goodyear
Originally uploaded by downtownelgin.

Demolition of the Goodyear Training Center at 211 Douglas started yesterday. See previous post for a list of buildings on the demo schedule.

The city has plans to redevelop the entire block.
From the Courier News.

Also on the council's agenda is spending $20,000 to tear down the city-owned former Goodyear building directly north of the Elgin Law Enforcement Facility.
The building occupies one corner of a downtown block that is largely taken up by the Grater Inc. cheese factory but which the city would like to see redeveloped. Officials probably are not interested in seeing the Goodyear site redeveloped on its own, being more interested in a large-scale project that would include the majority of the block bound by Spring and Kimball streets, Douglas Avenue and Symphony Way, according to Deering."I think we would like to see a bigger plan, a bigger approach, maybe the whole block," he said.

What are your thoughts?

Out to Lunch at Jalapenos Restaurant

Join us for the monthly Out to Lunch event

Date: Monday, January 30th
Time: 12 pm
Where: Jalapenos Restaurant
7 Clock Tower Plaza
Elgin, IL

Dan Fox and Don Waters of the Elgin Leadership Academy will be our guests. Dan and Don have run the Academy with the backing of the Elgin Area Chamber for the last 15 years. The academy has nurtured hundreds of future leaders including a state representative, county board member, city council members, school board, social service and community organization board members and business leaders. Many DNA volunteers and staff members have attended over the years and Armida Dominguez, Jennifer Benson and Heidi Lipinski are in the academy this year. I am a proud alum of the class of 1999, "Leading Elgin Into the New Millennium". Please post a comment if you are an academy alumni and share the impact the experience has had on you.

So join us on the 30th to meet two individuals that have contributed in many ways to the volunteer spirit that defines this place we call Elgin.

The menu is an all you can eat Buffet Lunch. Please RSVP at (847)488-1456.

Event Expected to Bring Philatelists to Elgin

The U.S. Postal Service is unveiling the newest 2006 first-class 39 cent stamps, Favorite Children's Book Animals, on Friday, January 27, 2006. The event will take place at the Gail Borden Library at 270 N. Grove Avenue, from 11 to 3. Wild Thing and Curious George characters will be present and there will be many, many fun activities throughout the library. Honored guests at the 11 a.m. ceremony will include Elgin Postmaster, Diane Tindle, and Connie Neale, superintendent of U-46 schools. A unique one-day-only Gail Borden Public Library cancellation will make its 4-hour cameo appearance from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the library. More information.

This is the second time in the last six months that a stamp was unveiled in downtown Elgin. The "Let's Dance" series was unveiled on September 17, 2005 at Fiesta Salsa.

Downtown Businesses in the News

Kim's Black Belt Academy at 5 S. Spring St was featured in an article on the Larsen Middle School Fine Arts/Life Arts Career Day.

For the second year in a row, Butters, a drama teacher at the school, helped coordinate Fine Arts/Life Arts Career Day, an opportunity for pupils to explore various careers or hobbies and absorb some of the passion for those activities from the people who love doing them.
Margaret and Jeff Kim, for example, got educated in computer science and law, respectively. But the couple have turned their love of martial arts into a running business. The duo runs Kim's Black Belt Academy in downtown Elgin. And on Friday morning, they were speaking with seventh- and eighth-graders about martial arts and their love for it.

It was written by Liza Roche and appeared in the Saturday Courier News.

Andersen's Engraving at 64 N. Grove Ave was featured in an article by Lenore Adkins in the Sunday Daily Herald.

Sverre Jarl Andersen, founder of what was known as Andersen’s Gifts of Distinction in downtown Elgin, believed in doing things his way when he opened the store in 1961.
“He would take the business and always want to improve it somehow,” said his son Dave Andersen. “He never wanted to follow the template, he wanted to be the guy that writes the template.”

Metra Schedule Changes Starting January 30th

This from the Chicago Tribune.

No trains have been eliminated or added but commuters may find arrival times adjusted by a few minutes at stations between Big Timber Road in Elgin and Union Station.

All new schedules can be viewed at Metra's Web site, www.metrarail.com, starting today, the release said. Commuters can pick up paper copies of the new schedules later in the month at Ogilvie and at Union Station.For Union Pacific/West riders, Metra personnel will pass out schedules at Ogilvie during the evening rush hour on Jan. 12. Those schedules will be available downtown and at all outlying stations after that day.For SouthWest Service and North Central Service commuters, Metra personnel will begin passing out schedules at Union Station on Jan. 19. In the following days, those schedules will be available downtown and at outlying stations, along with revised Milwaukee District West schedules, the release said.

Read the article here.

Coffee Shop to Reopen

The coffee shop, formerly known as "The Daily Bean", will reopen on Monday, January 9th. The new name is "Let's Meet for Coffee". The shop is located at 109 E. Highland.