State Farm bldg: 3 floors leased
This is a copy of an email from the company hired to lease space in the former State Farm building in downtown Bloomington: Brochure: 112Washington Mkt So who leased three floors? Somebody knows! (Just not me)
Tag: Downtown Bloomington
Another government advertising on Connect buses!
By: Diane Benjamin This picture was taken today. The event being advertised was 3 days ago. Worse, it looks like Illinois State University paid for it! Nobody in the private sector wants their name on a bus? So far only Downtown Bloomington, WGLT, and ISU want their names associated with Connect Transit!
Who is advertising on Connect Transit now?
By: Diane Benjamin In the latest show of support for the socialist Connect Transit redistribution of wealth, WGLT public radio has been joined by another government entity: At least one person is on the bus! Can we assume no private sector businesses want their name attached to this fleece of taxpayers? Speaking of public radio […]
Downtown wins, rest of Bloomington immaterial
By: Diane Benjamin Monday night the City Council got a long report from multiple City employees on what is happening downtown this summer. Your large garbage pickup got changed to twice a year, downtown will see garbage and recycling picked up 7 days a week. The streets will be swept twice a week. The Way […]
Bloomington is a Circus Monday
By: Diane Benjamin The Bloomington City Council is holding a Committee of the Whole meeting Monday. On the Agenda is: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=21582 The circus continues with this next: This Board has heard ONE case since it was created, they found the police did nothing wrong. (Their investigation is a secret however) Do the residents around Orchard […]
The tale of Two Downtowns
By: Diane Benjamin Yesterday I took a road trip to downtown Decatur. Since Tim Gleason was hired to make Bloomington’s downtown like Decatur’s, I wanted to see what has been done there. Have you heard comments about matching awnings? Below are on two sides of office space. The windows are covered with closed blinds. Have […]
Comments Please
Downtown Bloomington:
Tari’s Creative Financing
By: Diane Benjamin Taxing Tari has mentioned more than once that Tim Gleason has some “creative financing” ideas. This morning I think I figured out their game – at least part of it. We know they want to double the gas tax. We also know the entire amount raised won’t be spent on roads – […]
Run by Jacka$$es
by: Diane Benjamin According to the City mouthpiece, Bloomington will double the local gas tax to $.08 for every gallon: https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/road-weary-city-officials-eye-doubling-local-motor-fuel-tax/article_258321e6-928b-57d7-a1c0-ad250fb8e18b.html#tracking-source=home-breaking Another prediction: Somebody will say it’s only a few bucks. Quote: Here is what the mouthpiece forgot to add to the story: The $.04 a gallon Motor Fuel Tax was passed […]
New Zoning based on faulty information!
By: Diane Benjamin 8 of the 9 aldermen heard an hour and a half recap of the proposed zoning changes last night. David Sage was absent, of course with no explanation. Most people don’t need to listen to 1 1/2 hours, it got much more interesting when the alderman got to ask questions. To hear […]
Bloomington Downtown Zoning Delusional
By: Diane Benjamin The proposed Zoning changes cover a lot of ground, but let’s start with downtown. Obviously everything the City does revolves around putting lipstick on this pig. This map is included in the documentation: http://www.cityblm.org/home/showdocument?id=19954 The Purple proposed to be D2. The Green proposed to be D1 Light Blue proposed to be […]
Bloomington Council tonight
By: Diane Benjamin The VenuWorks report is not the audited version, it is therefore immaterial. Time allowed for the presentation is 5 minutes, included will be the fictional economic impact of the arena. See PDF page 40: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=19928 Financial information is on PDF page 39. The loss does not include depreciation on the building which […]
Why downtown is all the matters
By: Diane Benjamin The short answer is because of the McLean County Regional Planning Commission. The MCRPC is an organization most citizens know nothing about. In 2013 a new executive director was hired: Vasudha P. Gadhiraju. The formerly conservative Commission took a hard turn to the left immediately after. According to the MCRPC website, 2013 is […]
Council Recap
By: Diane Benjamin The Bloomington City Council only had ONE meeting last night instead of 2 or 3. It didn’t help them not spend your money, but at least they only contemplated how to shovel out more. Of course, it was on downtown. More later. Jamie Mathy did not attend, so Ward 1 had no […]
An article Bloomington leaders won’t read
By: Diane Benjamin Tonight Bloomington is holding a special meeting to talk about TIF’s. Again, they believe they can create prosperity with the “Right Fit”. Here’s the article they need to read: https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2018/6/18/running-government-as-a-business Excerpts: If you’ve been here with Strong Towns for any amount of time, you know the suggestion that, “the object of a […]
Front and Main
A reader sent this pic of the “test” changes going on downtown: Comments? . . . . . . . /
Supporting Downtown Neighborhoods +
By: Diane Benjamin With the change to twice yearly bulk waste pickup, areas around downtown now look like this: The owner could call the City for pickup and pay $25 per bucket, or they can wait to be tagged by the City. The tagged mess still won’t be picked up immediately because the City is […]
One more Downtown Pic
When the City of Bloomington decided to hire the Downtown Bloomington Association staff because they could support themselves: They created ANOTHER empty space downtown: (read the awning)
Touring Downtown
By: Diane Benjamin Yesterday I toured the downtown core with a friend. If the pics below have spots blurred, it because a reflection was caught in the pic. My partner wishes to remain anonymous. The Core area is bordered by Front, East, Market, and Madison. It’s 12 square blocks. First, I was surprised by the […]
Government waste in pics
By: Diane Benjamin When taxpayer abuse is this blatant, it’s easy to see. Most abuse is much harder to find. This picture is from Google maps. Note the sidewalk is perfectly flat – this is along Front Street in front of Rosie’s. Now see this picture – again look at the sidewalk. TWO concrete planter […]
More “Right Fit”
By: Diane Benjamin Tuesday night the Bloomington City Council is going to talk about TIF districts: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=17858 PDF page 209 Bloomington has a long history of projects that aren’t the “Right Fit”. Start with the Coliseum and the BCPA, both catalyst project that did nothing to revitalize downtown. Between the two, around $100,000,000 has been […]
What’s vacant downtown?
By: Diane Benjamin The building below used to be the piano and music store: It has been vacant for quite a while even though the rent is cheap for such a large space. http://www.cityfeet.com/cont/listing/retail-space-for-lease/417-n-main-st-bloomington-il-61701/cs11356072 According to the County website, taxes on this building are $1,511.88 a year. http://mcleanil.devnetwedge.com/view/RE/21-04-189-003/2017 The building is owned by ZCV3 LLC. The […]
Downtown Building for Sale!
By: Diane Benjamin https://www.point2homes.com/US/Commercial-For-Sale/IL/Bloomington/Downtown-Bloomington/602604-N-Main/51134568.html The building is owned by downtown supporter Mike Manna. Is he fleeing? One caveat: The taxes listed are on a much lower Assessed Value: $93,787 http://mcleanil.devnetwedge.com/view/RE/21-04-178-016/2017 Multiply that by 3.33 and it is supposedly the value of the building. That would be $281,361. Is the asking price too high or the […]
Downtown: Your thoughts?
When does the first person trip and sue? If the City doesn’t want to pay for stop lights, why aren’t they out-doing Normal with TWO roundabouts? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roundabout Did a planter used to be in front of Rosie’s too? I heard one was there briefly! Can anyone confirm? .
Bloomington: Tonight’s Council
By: Diane Benjamin Only you can stop the welcoming ordinance! . Show up or it will pass in the future! . . . . . _____________________________________ .http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=17702 The Council is meeting at 5:00 only for an Executive Session (Secret Meeting): I’m betting the collective bargaining contract won’t ban pension spiking. The City needs to lead […]
Another one bites the dust
By: Diane Benjamin YMCA, State Farm, and now Specs Around Town are just some businesses who have or will be leaving downtown Bloomington. City of Bloomington: Whatever you are doing is causing flight from downtown. Downtown is for bars, restaurants, lawyers, and government. Until Bloomington quits trying to make downtown something it isn’t, the few businesses […]
Rosie’s, Market Street Parking Gargage
By: Diane Benjamin This is Rosie’s on Front Street. Your thoughts? Have you seen cute downtown seating outside in other cities? (without the corral?) These pics are of the Market Street garage the City wants torn down. They were sent by a reader who doesn’t see what the problem is. The City did spend money […]
Downtown Downtown Downtown!
By: Diane Benjamin The Council thinks they can make downtown a destination. The Coliseum and the BCPA were supposed to do the same thing. Since the Council spent close to two hours last night discussing beautification and streets, it proves the MILLIONS already spent have failed. There were some tiny shreds of fiscal responsibility when […]
Bloomington Library facts
By: Diane Benjamin The City Manager has issued a report for February. The library stats posted for 2018 are not the same stats used in 2017, so I took the ones that can be compared and turned them into a chart. 2018 Library facts: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=16111 2017 Library facts: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=12434 The library wasn’t included in the […]
Another TIF – “Right Fit”
By: Diane Benjamin Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts were meant to redevelop blighted areas. They divert all increases in property taxes to the City and then to the developers. The taxes are diverted FROM all other taxing bodies like schools, library, county, township, etc. Downtown Bloomington had a long term TIF that expired a couple […]
Another one bites the dust
By: Diane Benjamin Downtown Bloomington is dead. The only people who don’t understand that were elected by the people who didn’t bother to vote last April. The Coliseum and the Cultural District failed to revitalize downtown. When will the Council quit throwing money away? When you change who is on the Council!
State Farm is leaving downtown
By: Diane Benjamin I’ve heard from a reliable source that State Farm is not remodeling their downtown Bloomington building. It will be empty in mid January. Grand Cafe is not going to re-open. Maybe you can help compile a list of businesses no longer downtown. Lancasters Chocolatier Mueller, Reece & Hinch Attorneys Who else? Anybody open […]
Who got TIF money?
By: Diane Benjamin Continuation from this story: https://blnnews.com/2017/12/26/lets-talk-tifs/ Who got money to improve their properties: 215 E Douglas – E Douglas Apartments. The owner of 215 E Douglas is listed in the County Assessor’s office as Mike Manna. Illinois House – 201-213 W. Jefferson Ralph Turner, partner in the Darrell Hartweg Law firm 408 W Washington […]
Let’s talk TIF’s
By: Diane Benjamin If you don’t understand that Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is a slush fund for government friends, the Town and Normal and the City of Bloomington will continue to use them to funnel money to people they want to fund. The theory is the money will be recovered with increasing property tax values […]
Christmas: Downtown vrs Uptown
by: Diane Benjamin Both Bloomington and Normal are bankrupting their towns and citizens with Utopian dreams. The difference is Normal spent taxpayer money where people can see it, Bloomington threw money away on a failing Coliseum and heavily subsidized BCPA. The difference is obvious when you look at the Christmas decorations the towns put up. […]
Tari’s Town Hall
By: Diane Benjamin I almost feel sorry for Tari. Citizens who disagree with actions of the City and Tari were pretty furious last night. I’m sure by the end Tari was ready for it to be over. I expect his next event to be stacked with a lot more supporters. Schedule: 12/12 – 5:30 – […]
Even State Farm doesn’t want to be downtown?
By: Diane Benjamin I’ve received several reports from citizens about State Farm leaving their building in downtown Bloomington. One person just commented they are in the process of moving out the last group now. When did the evacuation start? Why isn’t that public knowledge? Did the Bloomington City Council know? Is the City of Bloomington […]
It takes guts!
By: Diane Benjamin Your elected aldermen in Bloomington really have guts! On the same day they found out at least $1 Million was stolen from you – they voted to slap higher sewer and storm water rates on the victims of their ineptness! Yes, that would be Bloomington taxpayers. The conversation was really amusing. Scott […]
The Downtown Setup
By: Diane Benjamin You already know that Tari Renner’s handpicked committee doesn’t represent the interest of anybody outside their tiny group who think downtown is the future. (Decades of facts to the contrary are immaterial) https://blnnews.com/2017/05/03/taris-downtown-task-force/ I know you don’t need proof, but: You can see what they have been up to here: http://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-552 I […]
One more pic from Park(ing) Day
Unbelievably busy!