By: Diane Benjamin
Of course Stan Nord knows taxpayers got fleeced to rent the second floor of 1 Uptown Circle only to fill a hole in Uptown. The Council that approved paying $35000-$36000 a month simply did as they were told. Chris Koos wanted the hole gone and obviously the private sector wasn’t going to do it without tax dollars. The first floor is still empty when it was by contract supposed to be rented by 2017.
Stan asked about the 2nd floor lease at 6:03:32. At last years budget meeting the Council set a strategic priority to find options to decrease the drain on taxpayers. Paying for another year is in next year’s budget because, as Pam Reece explained, they are obligated to pay it. Reece claims the fiscal year isn’t over yet and she will continue to look for options including subdividing the floor and leasing part to someone else.
Kathleen Lorenz follows. She is finally “woke” to the fact the first floor is still empty! She thinks it is a bad time to worry about the second floor because commercial property is standing still right now since many people are still working from home. She is concerned about the first floor.
Lorenz wants the Town to work with the developer to get it filled. She thinks the Town shouldn’t restrict use of the space to a restaurant. If the first floor gets leased, that could lead to possible restructuring of the fleece lease for the 2nd floor. She’s finally tired of waiting for something to happen.
Welcoming to the real world Kathleen. Glad you finally realized what citizens have noticed for YEARS.
Want to know who voted for this in the first place?
March 21, 2016:
PDF page 5: https://normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/2066
One more thing worth reading: An article by WGLT about this project: https://www.wglt.org/post/estimating-taxpayer-support-uptown-construction-project#stream/0
It is entertaining!
I’m not done covering this meeting. Stay tuned. Don’t expect anything to change fast at 1 Uptown Circle. You taxpayers have deep pockets. You can vote 3 of the 4 out of office April 6th however.
I’ll say it again, for the thousandth time… The only thing that will succeed in “uptown” are bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and niche shops geared toward the college students. Accept it and take the piles of tax money that will come in.
You are absolutely correct. The only time I enter Uptown Normal is at Christmas time and when family visitors want to see the little village shops. LOL Parking is horrible even to go to the Post office. I drive clear across town to Bloomington to mail packages etc. Ace Hardware is the only normal daily shopping that is offered.
Does anyone really think that Reece is actively engaging prospective tenants and/or looking for ways to offer the cost to taxpayers? Thus far she’s spent more time working on and delivering excuses. Kathleen is no better. She hasn’t had any care or concern about this matter until yesterday’s meeting. Hmm.
And, still the council continues it’s blood sport of beating on Representative Nord. He is the only one representing the taxpayers!