By: Diane Benjamin
At the last meeting of the Normal Town Council citizens showed up to protest the latest development plan for Uptown: https://blnnews.com/2018/10/16/normal-citizens-showed-up-no-minds-changed/
Two speakers decried the plan to destroy more historic buildings. The Council didn’t care and passed the plan anyway.
There is now a petition on-line to save the mural: https://www.change.org/p/town-of-normal-city-council-save-the-mural-save-our-money
It has almost 3000 signatures!
They want to get to 5000 signatures and then present them to the Council.
If you think the historic buildings should be saved, click the link and sign.
(You wouldn’t have this problem if 12 more people had voted for Marc Tiritilli)
Signed the save the mural petition – I hate what “they” have done to the Normal of the past. I get almost physically ill when I have to go there it’s so horrendous, so sterile, soulless and almost completely devoid of character, OH, wait, it’s sort of like the people who engineered that monstrosity they call “Uptown”.
Haha! Spot on, Ronin. Have they found a tenant for One Vacant Circle…er, I mean, One Uptown Circle?
i stopped going downtown normal after they renamed it uptown!
This is great! The Town is turning on Koos and the rubber stampers on the Town Council. I’m loving this!!! In terms of content, the petition reads less about the mural and “history” and more about the financial lunacy of the project. Huge victory! The town has (finally) awaken to the reality that multi-million dollar government-led development is a failure. You might say that this project is not the “right fit” for taxpayers. 😉
Town folk can turn on Koos ,but the only way to stop him and his court is to VOTE EM OUT! Koos and Renner have been wasting taxpayer monies long enough! Time to put them on the unemployment line along with their Court Jesters!
But then that $30million in jobs doesn’t take into consideration of how much money labor gets. Material will be perhaps 35-50%, the developer and contractors will be quite a bit. How much does labor really get, 6-7 million if they’re lucky? It’s not like they’ll be 200 workers on that job everyday for the next year plus.
I’m a proponent of saving old buildings period. (Got a few of them myself )
The reason there is little discussion is that these 2 properties have been slated for destruction likely a decade ago, at least from the time our town purchased the buildings and statesd their intentions at that time.
The plan has always been to surround the roundabout, so to speak, with buildings. Take a look at the CDM, transportation center and the latest buildings facades.
I must vote for the jobs to bring Normal back to life.
This fight is likely doomed. Nobody wanted the two old buildings enough to buy and restore them since I’ve moved in across the street.
The town even had to provide a support program in the event that the Pod was torn down before their leasehold build out costs could be used for, I think the first 5 years.
In any event the eventualities of life show us that nearly all things change.
I just returned from a visit to Rome and Athens, many buildings and ruins exist here over 2000 years old. These are truly old buildings, even 2000 years old roads are still driven on.
I’m pretty certain that the new buildings owner/management will embrace our local art communities as the town of Normal has done since I can remember..
Let’s get positive and have a positive expectation of the changes that have been happening to downtown Normal, I say so far so good. Diverse retailers, dining and public space has made Uptown the best game for investors in this part of the state.
Are you really serious. The closures of a couple of the “uptown” eateries and the lack of tenants make me feel you are a Koo’s crackpot. If not you need to study some serious economics mixed with common sense.
Haha! “Best game for investors”? Are you serious?! If it’s the best game for investors where’s all the private money and growing businesses in Uptown? All I see are a bunch of empty spaces, including the marquee 1 Uptown Circle; two extremely underperforming hotels on deaths doorstep; and, several subsidized renters courtesy of the Town. (Note: Diane has previously documented these locations, including tenant names and their respective monthly rents.) By the way, love your closing about how we need to be positive. That’s the standard line of the establishment in BN when they’re trying to silence anyone that dare question the wisdom of government central planners and taxpayer-funded development.
Amen Brother….these fools try any tactic of shaming, or saying good fit. The hell with the idea of looking at real hard facts and doing some homework. You are so right. Maybe the comment was written by Koos or one of his henchmen. Would not surprise me in the least.
By the way, I am a long way from the establishment and I certainly don’t want to silence anyone. If you can’t have a positive expectation on every situation you approach, expect the outcome to be your input be it negative or be it positive.
LOL. Ignore reality and rely on positive thinking. Typical progressive bullcrap.
Yes, look “forward” be “progressive” and have a “vision” – wow – yep you nailed it typical progressive bull crap – then off they go on to another adventure when their prior one fails – just gotta drum up the money from “easy marks”, er I mean “investors” and find a way to squeeze the rest out of taxpayers.
Oh c’mon Mr. Fuller, surely you jest. One reason there is little interest in those two old buildings is keeping up with those ridiculous building codes in Normal. Koos and is LEEDS certificates and all that. Not many folks have the cold hard cash that you do Harry. Becoming a bit of a pompous arss, just back from Rome and Athens, must be nice. Whoop-eee! Gees the town spent $100 million on what, four city blocks? Went from a surplus to a current $90 million or so in debt. Yeah I’ve got a positive expectation that the taxpayers are and will continue to get the shaft. That’s it, I’m done, you’re too far gone Harry, waste of my time.
I’ll paint you another Mural, we have bigger problems,,,,a Trump Terrorist is on the loose trying to assassinate former Presidents, Heads of State, and other Free Speech Americans.
Hum, yes the uniformed spouting their hate is a problem. I will be expecting an apology when an arrest is made. Get one ready.
FAKE NEWS ALERT!!! Fake bombs delivered by fake news to try to damage patriotic Republicans.
How embarrassing for the Democrat Socialists that they’re latest plot didn’t work. Just like Dr. Blatant Fraud’s phony charges, Russian interference and the list goes on and on.
All to cover Obama’s proven spying and Hillary proven lying.
I am approaching the situation with a positive outlook – It’s a win-win! If the citizens of Normal finally ‘get woke’ and vote in Representatives rather than Rulers, we all win! If government continues to dig the town’s grave unabated, I know to get off the fence and divest myself as much as possible and lay the groundwork for my exit plan – not a good thing in itself, but having a clear direction would bring some welcome peace of mind so a win of sorts.