Did Spidey Web Festival Park?

Did Spidey visit Elgin after the Spiderman 3 premier and web Festival Park?
No, it's just a new play structure. You'll have to wait until the park opens to try it out. The ribbon cutting is on Monday, May 28th at 1:30 pm. The park is located at the corner of Grove and Prairie in downtown Elgin, IL



A view of the entrance from the riverwalk showing the fountain in the foreground.

The festival part of Festival Park with the River Park Place townhomes to the left and the Grand Victoria Casino to the right.

City Launches "Gettin' Around in Downtown" Communication Campaign

The city of Elgin launched a communications campaign called, "Gettin' Around in Downtown", to inform the public about the five year program for replacing water mains, streets and sidewalks.

Elements of the campaign include...

• A new web site, www.downtownelgin.info
• A town hall meeting in May (Date to be determined)
• A hotline at 847.931.6767

Read the Daily Herald article from April 27th here.
Stayed tuned for more information.

Downtown Elgin Water Main Construction Updates - April 23

Water Main Installation Construction Continues Through the Week of April 23

ELGIN – Work continues on the Central Business District Street Resurfacing and Streetscape project with the installation of individual water services on Spring Street between Chicago and DuPage Streets the week of April 23.

Northbound traffic on Spring Street will be diverted east on DuPage Street to Villa Street. Southbound traffic on Spring Street will be able to proceed as usual. Two-way traffic will be maintained on Grove Street south between Chicago and Prairie Streets, however, motorists wishing to travel northbound on Spring Street may use Grove Street as an alternative.

Sidewalk, curb and gutter restoration on Grove Street south between Chicago and Fulton Streets will begin mid-week. While two-way traffic will be maintained, flaggers will be directing a single lane of traffic around the construction at times. Motorists are asked to pay special attention when traveling through this area or to avoid the construction zone by using alternate routes.

Specific questions regarding the construction can be directed to Shelley Costello with TranSystems at 847-871-3185. For general information on the project, please contact Steve Pertzborn, Elgin’s Senior Engineer, at 847-931-5955.

Downtown Elgin Blog Celebrates 2nd Anniversary

Oops, March 11th was the second anniversary for the Downtown Elgin blog. We have been so consumed by upgrades to our other web tools that the two year mark slipped under the radar.

The blog may have been suffering from the classic sophomore slump but the junior year looks promising. Several changes are in store for 2007. A move to the New Blogger along with a new layout. The blog will see a content shift to news flashes and follow up stories, rather than event listings, as features such as the Upcoming.org calendar feed and news feeds are now on the web site.

Speaking of changes, here is the update schedule for the Downtown Neighborhood Association web tools.

• The April/May Newsletter was published on April 9th with a new look.
• The popular Downtown Elgin Top 10 List format will be updated in May.
• downtownelgin.org will receive a well deserved makeover this summer.
• The blog changes will appear before the leaves fall.

Click here to be added to the weekly Top 10 List or the Newsletter mailing list.

Want to be in a Commercial?

The Elgin Area Enhancement Committee of the Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce is asking anyone who lives in Elgin and would like the chance to be part of a commercial promoting the different aspects of diversity within our City. This would include people of all ages, sizes, professions, ethnicities, etc. People who wear uniforms or identifiable work clothes, such as police, fire, chefs, carpenters, dentists, ministers etc. as well as national costumes are especially needed.

The shoot will be on April 19th from 3pm-7pm, in downtown Elgin. There are no speaking lines, no experience is necessary, and the shoot will only take 10-15 minutes of your time.

If you are interested in being a part of the commercial please call Demi Cooper Advertising at 847-931-5800 ext. 10 for specific location, to schedule a time slot, and discuss the dress code.

Spring Street Water Main Construction

Construction Continues on New Water Main

Work will begin on the installation of the new water main on Spring Street between Chicago Street and Dupage Street. On Monday, April 16th, traffic control will be set up to allow construction of the new water main. Northbound traffic on Spring Street between DuPage Street and Chicago Street will not be allowed during this phase. Northbound traffic will be diverted east on DuPage Street to Villa Street. During this period of construction, two-way traffic will be maintained on south Grove Street and motorist wishing to travel northbound may want to use Grove Ave as an alternative. Southbound traffic on Spring Street will be allowed.

Sidewalk and curb and gutter restoration on south Grove Ave between Chicago Street and Fulton may begin on Wednesday. While two way traffic will be maintained, there may be times when flaggers will be directing single lane of traffic around the construction operation. Motorists are asked to pay attention when traveling through this area and to avoid the construction zone whenever possible.

Specific questions regarding the construction can be directed to Shelley Costello with TranSystems at 847-871-3185 or at her office in the back of the Downtown Neighborhood Association office at 2 Douglas Ave.

For general information on the project, please contact Steve Pertzborn, Senior Engineer, at 847-931-5955.

Water Main Replacement Continues on South Grove

Water Main Installation Construction for the Week of April 9th.

Construction Continues on New Water Main
Installation of the individual services on south Grove Street between DuPage Court and Fulton / Spring Street will continue during the week of April 9 -13, 2007.

This work will require the closure of south Grove Street between Chicago and Spring Street to through traffic. Motorists wishing to travel south from Chicago Street should use Spring Street.
Access to local businesses from Chicago Street to DuPage Court will be allowed. Pedestrian access to local businesses south of DuPage Court will be allowed. People wishing to access these businesses are encouraged to use the Fulton Street garage. This section should be finished on Tuesday. Underground work on south Grove between Fulton and Prairie will take place on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights, beginning at 7 p.m. each evening. This block will be closed to all traffic. Southbound traffic from Spring and Grove Streets will be detoured eastbound on Fulton, south on Villa and back westbound on Prairie where they can continue south on Grove Street. Northbound traffic will be detoured eastbound on Prairie, southbound on Villa and back westbound on Fulton where they can continue northbound on either Grove or Spring Street.

Specific questions regarding the construction can be directed to Shelley Costello with TranSystems at 847-871-3185 or at her office in the back of the Downtown Neighborhood Association office at 2 Douglas Ave.

For further information, please contact Steve Pertzborn, Senior Engineer, at 847-931-5955.

Check downtownelgin.org for construction updates.

Skate Park Meeting

A public meeting to discuss two proposed skate parks will be held on Wednesday, April 4th at 5 pm. The meeting takes place at the Celebration Room in The Centre of Elgin at 100 Symphony Way, Elgin, IL. The new skating facilities are planned for the Grant School Park and the Prairie Park. City staff and others will answer questions and welcome input regarding the preliminary plans for the two parks.

Elgin Then & Now - The Gifford House

This article is courtesy of The Elginite.

Link to the location.

This was the home of Elgin’s founder, James T. Gifford. Originally a simple stone house, it reflects a contruction technique native to New York state. Note the cobblestones laid in courses with stone quoins at the corners and stone lintels. The mansard roof and classical detailing (added later) show a Second Empire influence. This is one of the few remaining works of builder Edwin R. Reeves. Gifford Park and Gifford Street are named for the original owner of this home. (source: Gifford Park Association)

The home of Elgin’s founder dates back to 1850. It has been divided into four apartments. I’d like to see it deconverted and restored to its former glory. I wonder if the city should offer special incentives for the rehabilitation of buildings with historic significance (those on the National Register of Historic Places), such as this one. Such a policy would cover only 8 buildings. It’s something we can afford.

I’m especially interested in seeing this building restored, not just because it’s the home of Elgin’s founder, but it’s the finest remaining cobblestone home in Elgin, and probably over a much wider area. It would serve as a fine example for what a distinctive local vernacular architectural style might look like.

It could serve as an inspiration for local builders and developers. If they pick up on the use of cobblestone as a facade element, it could help create a distinctive local architectural style. Even though cobblestone construction is associated with Rochester, it would be pretty much unique in this area.

By the way, this house is for sale at a price of $470,000. The listing says the building is eligible for $70,000 in rehabilitation/deconversion grants, which I don’t think is enough to persuade anybody to convert it into a single family home. After the grants, they would still be paying $400,000, which is excessive for the neighborhood. The city should consider increasing the grant for a house of special historic significance, such as this. Otherwise it will remain a dilapidated apartment building.

South Grove Street Closed March 26-30 for Water Main Work

South Grove Street between DuPage Court and Fulton and Spring Streets will be closed next week, March 26-30, as crews continue water main installation through the Central Business District.

Detour signs will direct south bound motorists to Spring Street. Pedestrian and vehicle access to local businesses from Chicago Street to DuPage Court will be allowed. Parking will be available in downtown's Fulton Street garage.
Downtown Elgin's water main installation work continues as part of the Central Business District $22 million street resurfacing and streetscape project. Construction crews have been working during the overnight hours to help reduce traffic congestion.

For more information, contact Steve Pertzborn, senior engineer, at 847-931-5955.

UPDATE: South Grove Closed on Monday, March 12th

On Friday, March 9th Monday, March 12th, South Grove Street will be closed between E.Chicago Street and Spring Street to allow for installation of new storm sewer. It is anticipated that the road will be closed between 7am and 4pm. Local access to the Union Bank drive up will be allowed. For further information please contact Steve Pertzborn, Senior Engineer, at 847.931.5955.

Chicago Street Closed Today, March 7th

City to close part of Chicago Street today
Chicago Street will close between Grove Avenue and Spring Street between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. today as city crews work to repair a water leak there.
Water service will be interrupted to area businesses and homes during the time the repair is being made.
"Water will be interrupted only as long as it takes to repair the leak," said Public Works Director John Loete. "However, if there is an inch or more of snow on the ground, the repair will be postponed."
Traffic will be detoured around the area, although crews will try to keep one lane open.
For more information, contact the Elgin Public Works Department at (847) 697-3160.

13th Annual Elgin Image Awards

The Elgin Image Advisory Commission will host the 13th Annual Image Awards at The Centre of Elgin on Thursday, March 8th at 6pm. RSVP to (847) 931-5592.

Nominees
Individual-Professional Category
Jennifer Almanza
Jennifer Benson
Jim Durante
Mary Hager-Swanson
Sofia Hedberg
Paul Stocksdale
Janelle Walker

Individual Volunteer Category
Pat Keeney

Project Category
Elgin 1440 Project
Elgin Area Historical Society/Seigle Foundation.
Elgin Toy Giveaway
Huff Elementary School Fence Project
United Way of Elgin, Home Depot, Elgin Housing Authority - KaBOOM Playground

Organization/Business Category
Corn Trust/McBride Building
Downtown Neighborhood Association
Quiznos
The Greens of Elgin.
Village Profile
Walker Parking Consultants

Citizenship Category
Mike Alft
Bob Pleticha
Juan Silva

Context Sensitive Design Solutions in Transportation Seminar

A special workshop on how to use street design to build vibrant neighborhoods in your community.
• Learn about changing standards in street design;
• Increase knowledge of the impacts of street design;
• Learn how to work with transportation agencies; and
• Identify key urban design features that support a strong community.

THE CITY OF ELGIN is pleased to invite you to a special workshop on how to use street design to build vibrant neighborhoods in your community. The workshop will focus on a design
manual from the Institute of Transportation Engineers and CNU entitled Context Sensitive Solutions in Designing Major Urban Thoroughfares for Walkable Communities. This proposed
recommended practice helps public officials and planners create context-sensitive streets that function to serve pedestrians, transit-riders, and cyclists as well as motorists.

WHEN: Friday, March 16, 2007
WHERE: The Centre of Elgin, Heritage Ballroom
100 Symphony Way, Elgin, IL 60120
TIME: 8:30am to 1:00pm. LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED
COST: FREE to all attendees

Please R.S.V.P. before March 12, to Crystal McGuire at the City of Elgin
Phone: 847-931-5939 • Email so that we can plan to provide you with lunch. Space is limited, so please sign up today! We look forward to seeing you on March 16.

Streets are central to adding value to communities. Richly-textured roads
designed for multiple modes of transportation and diverse uses help create
community character and can boost economic, social and cultural activities
along key corridors. As a local decision-maker, you have a number
of opportunities to use street design to enhance your community and
shape its identity. We hope you will take advantage of this unique event.

EVENT SCHEDULE
8:30-9:00am Coffee and refreshments
9:00 – 9:15am Welcome and Opening Remarks
Ed Schock, Mayor, City of Elgin
9:15 – 9:45am Context Sensitive Solutions in Designing Major Urban Thoroughfares for Walkable Communities: History of the project
Jacky Grimshaw, The Center for Neighborhood Technology
9:45 – 10:30am The Complexity of the Street Network: Adding Value to Your Community
John Norquist, President and CEO, Congress for the New Urbanism
10:30 – 11:15am Before and After Examples from the Chicago Region: What Works and What Doesn’t!
John LaPlante, Chief Transportation Engineer, T.Y. Lin International
11:15 – 12:00pm Implementing Ideas in the Manual: How Do We Get from Here to There?
Billy Hattaway, Corridor Planning and Engineering Practice Leader,
Glatting, Jackson, Kirchner, Anglin: Orlando, Florida
12:00pm LUNCH and Social Hour

Special thanks to Nora Beck of the Congress for the New Urbanism, and Beth Dever of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus for their assistance in putting together the workshop.

2007 Elgin Mayors Awards for Preservation Nominations

The Elgin Heritage Commission is still seeking nominations for the 2007 Elgin Mayors Awards for Preservation. Nominations can be submitted by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2007. The application is available here.

The awards recognize creative and imaginative efforts made toward neighborhood and downtown revitalization with three honors of distinction.

The three honors awards are:
1. The Mayor George Van De Voorde Award which is given to an individual recognizing the continuing vigor, imagination, and persistence in preserving Elgin's heritage.
2. The William Stickling Award which honors achievements in the adaptive reuse of industrial and commercial buildings.
3. The Artisan Award which recognizes the exemplary work of a contractor, craftsperson or artisan in the preservation and restoration of Elgin's architectural heritage.

Elgin's Heritage Commission will select City winners who will then be honored at the annual Mayors Awards for Preservation event Thursday, May 3, 2007 at The Centre of Elgin, 100 Symphony Way.

Nominations can be submitted to Sophia Morales, Community Development Department.

2007 DNA Awards & Luau

DNA Awards & Luau
Thursday, March 1st, 2007
6 p.m. Cocktail Hour (Cash Bar)
7 p.m. Hawaiian Dinner
8 p.m. Award Ceremony
Entertainment: The Barefoot Hawaiian Dancers and The Pan Chicago Band

Luau attire optional

The Centre of Elgin
Heritage Ballroom
100 Symphony Way
Elgin, IL 60120

$30 per person
$300 for a table of eight

Please RSVP by Friday, February 23, 2007
Call (847) 488-1456
or
Email at jbenson@elginil.org

Make checks payable to: Downtown Neighborhood Association of Elgin
Send to: Downtown Neighborhood Association of Elgin
2 Douglas Ave
Elgin, IL 60120

Funding Flows to Fox River Renaissance Alliance Project

The Elgin city council has preliminarily approved $26,000 for a Fox River Renaissance Alliance project. The library board will decide in March whether to fund the remaining $26,000 for the engineering plans. Possible projects include: a fountain in the Fox River north of Kimball Street, a floating wetland that would attract fish and other creatures, and educational gardens. Visitors will be able to watch the fish that swarm to the area using cameras that will transmit signals to the Gail Borden Library. Hitchcock Design Group is expected to complete the plans by April. Funding for construction is expected to come from grants and donations. The project will provide environmental and educational benefits and once again demonstrates that the library is more than just a place to check out books.

Read the article from today's Daily Herald here.

Ina Will Be Making a Difference in Africa

Ina Dews is planning a trip to Rwanda to share her crocheting and quilting skills. She needs to raise $3500 to make the trip possible. Vermont-based Rwanda Knits is the non-profit organization in charge of the trip. It's founder and director, Cari Clement, says Dews would work with orphanages all over the east African country.

You may know Ina from the downtown Harvest Market where she has been manager for many years, or as a member of the Elgin Human Relations Commission or you'll find her at nearly every city council meeting.

So when so asks for your support, please help her, not that you could say no anyway, Ina can be very persuasive.

Read the Daily Herald article here.

Elgin Then & Now - The Post Office

This article is courtesy of The Elginite.

Link to the location.

Old post offices are often among the most beautiful buildings in a town, and thankfully many towns have preserved theirs, even though the U.S. Postal Service has long moved out of (most of) them. Elgin unfortunately is not one of those towns.
It was a lovely building. Had it survived, I think it would have been the finest example of Beaux-Art architecture in Elgin. Unfortunately, it was demolished because some people thought it was dirty and seedy, the same complaint they leveled at the Crocker.
Read more about the old Elgin post office.

Storypalooza - What is it?

Storypalooza is coming to the Gail Borden Library.


What's a Storypalooza you might ask? Well, if you are budding videographer, this is your chance for fame and fortune and here's how you do it.

1) Create a video or slideshow on your favorite book or community event. The maximum length is four minutes. Click here for tips on creating your masterpiece.
2) Submit your entry before midnight on February 19th. You must upload the video to YouTube, and then link it to the library by sending an e-mail to Denise Raleigh with the subject line “Storypalooza.”
3) Wait until March to see if your entry is a winner. Public voting for the “My Favorite Book” and "Community Favorites" categories begins Feb. 22 through the library’s Web site, and ends at 5 p.m. March 12. Judges will select the first and second place winners.
4) This is want you could win.
First Community Bank in Elgin is offering cash and merchandise to the top entrants. Judges will award a $350 digital camcorder to the first-place contestant, a $150 camera to the second-place winner, a $50 Barnes & Noble gift card to the “My Favorite Book” entry, and a $50 gift card to Barnes & Noble for the top pick in the “Community Favorites” category. Winners of the first and second prizes are not eligible to win in the book and community categories.

For information, including ways to make videos or use digital pictures or slide shows for the contest, visit the library’s Web site or call Denise Raleigh at (847) 429-5981. Videos must be appropriate for the library’s general audience.

‘Storypalooza’ videos take Elgin’s Gail Borden library by storm - Daily Herald article by Mark Billings