LEADING THE WAY Under Construction: Making Great Communities Even Better
Saturday, September 22, 2019
2 | LEADING THE WAY | September 2018
JOURNAL GAZETTE & TIMES-COURIER
Welcome to 2018’s Leading the Way W
e had many things in mind when we chose the theme for this year’s Leading the Way — “Under Construction: Making Great Communities Even Better.” Growth is the building block upon which this theme rests. To build and maintain successful communities, we must all embrace growth and change as they happen, whether planned or spontaneous. And, residents, workers, businesses, industry and governmental bodies must all work together to both make our communities better and embrace new efforts that will lead to that end. From rebuilding city sidewalks to refurbishing current businesses to building from scratch for new establishments or the construction of new municipal structures, making our communities ever better is a multi-faceted, continuous effort. Healthy, vibrant communities with the basics like solid infrastructure, plus additions such as beautiful parks and greenspace, attract and retain enthusiastic residents, which in turn foster successful businesses. Such communities are places where people choose to raise their children, or enjoy their twilight years. Amenities from parks to ball fields to libraries, and businesses ranging from health care to small-town groceries and much more, add to the quality of life for all of us. In this year’s Leading the Way, you’ll get a look at the preservation of historical records at the Coles County Courthouse. Travel to the small town of Oakland, where businesses new and old are working hard — and succeeding — in serving the area’s population. Get the latest from Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center, where construction and revamping of existing structures is continuing the sleek, modern look of this medical campus serving a wide area even beyond Coles County. Visit downtown Mattoon and the square in Charleston for an update on improvements under construction there. We hope you enjoy this fresh look at our communities — “under construction,” and already on a solid foundation, and we hope that you are moved to get involved yourself and help make our great towns better, for Charleston and Mattoon, Oakland, and all of Coles County.
Leading the Way Staff ADVERTISING Tammy Jordan, Advertising Director Karen Collier, Accounts Payable/Receivable Casianne Bailey, Advertising Coordinator Michael Katz, Sales Sydney Edwards, Sales Daniel Douglas, Sales Connie Anderson, Sales EDITORIAL Penny Weaver, General Manager and Editor Dave Fopay, Staff Writer Rob Stroud, Staff Writer Jarad Jarmon, Staff Writer
— Penny Weaver, JG-TC General Manager and Editor
Kevin Kilhoffer, Staff Photographer Mattoon JG-TC 700 Broadway Ave. E, Suite 9A Mattoon, IL 61938 www.jg-tc.com KEVIN KILHOFFER PHOTOS, JOURNAL GAZETTE & TIMES-COURIER
Phone 217-235-5656
On the cover Construction on the Neal Center YMCA, the Toledo branch of the Mattoon Area Family YMCA, continues this fall in Toledo. (Photo by Kevin Kilhoffer, Journal Gazette & Times-Courier)
September 2018 | LEADING THE WAY | 3
JOURNAL GAZETTE & TIMES-COURIER
Officials tout Route 16 development JG-TC STAFF
ockets of success and ongoing interest P mean development along the main connection between Charleston and Mattoon should continue, three local officials said. Work that dates back several decades helps ensure that the stretch of Illinois Route 16 between the two cities is attractive for developers, they also believe. It might have been tempting to envision that additional businesses along the route would have made Charleston and Mattoon truly twin cities by now, Mattoon city Administrator Kyle Gill said. “But I still think it’s going to happen and I think we’re getting closer and closer,” he said. Gill noted changes in the last few years in the area of the intersection of Route 16 and Lerna Road. Much of that has taken place in and around the locations of the Carle medical clinic facilities, but it hasn’t been limited to that, he said. The location is also suited and ready for additional growth, he added. The area on the southwest corner of the intersection if development-ready with roads already in place, Gill said. A Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center facility is the only business in the area but he expects others, he said. The city has tax increment financing (TIF) districts to help provide tax benefits and incentives for development in that location and on the north side of Route 16, Gill said.
He also expects more additions in the area of Clyde’s Animal Clinic and Coles Crossing Apartments. Also, businesses continue to show interest in locations along the route on the west side of Interstate 57, Gill also said. There are specific businesses that have made inquiries but it’s too early to disclose details, he said. “Traffic’s big in that area,” he said. “It’s being looked at harder.” Charleston city Planner Steve Pamperin took the same approach, saying there’s been interest from businesses that could possibly locate along the route in its eastern locations. Route 16 serves as an “incubator” for the types of development that’s already come to fruition there, such as Coles Business Park, Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center and other office buildings, he said. Pamperin said a longstanding program has largely driven the development with certain requirements for landscaping, signs and more and that limits the types of businesses that can locate there. Development plans along the route are reviewed by a corridor committee that addresses the requirements before any proposal goes to one of the cities for consideration, he said. “For that particular corridor, we want to maintain certain aesthetics because it’s an important corridor between the two communities,” Pamperin said.
KEVIN KILHOFFER, JOURNAL GAZETTE & TIMES-COURIER
Illinois Route 16, pictured facing east toward Charleston, is the main artery between Mattoon and Charleston, and local officials are working to bring more businesses to sections of this stretch of highway. Development in the business park is the responsibility of Coles Together, the county’s economic development organization. The park is already the location of several offices and other businesses and interest in the location continues, Coles Together President Angela Griffin said. She said there are two businesses with active interests in locating there, though she also mentioned the early stages in saying she couldn’t identify them.
“It would involve new, well-paying jobs and the new buildings would position both companies for future expansion,” Griffin said. “They are both experiencing high volumes of work in their particular industry.” Griffin said Coles Together is also in the process of applying for recertification of the county’s enterprise zone. It’s a state program that offers tax breaks and other incentives and the Route 16 stretch is one of its prime areas.
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4 | LEADING THE WAY | September 2018
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Development occurs at mall, elsewhere on east side of Mattoon ROB STROUD rob.stroud@lee.net
KEVIN KILHOFFER, JOURNAL GAZETTE & TIMES-COURIER
The Rural King company purchased the Cross County Mall in Mattoon in fall 2017.
Since 1934
MATTOON — New development has occurred at the Cross County Mall and elsewhere along the Illinois Route 16 corridor on the east side of Mattoon during the last year and a half. The Mattoon-based Rural King company purchased the Cross County Mall last fall and announced plans in July to relocate its Mattoon store to the former Sears space at the east end of the mall by mid-January. “Rural King believes its future success is tied to the future success of the Mattoon community. The acquisition of the mall was a strategic commitment to this community, and we plan to continue to invest here in this area that has given us so much,” Rural King Chief Executive Officer Alex Melvin has said in a press release. Rural King’s corporate office and distribution center is set to remain at 4216 Dewitt Ave., where the store is currently located. Construction work is underway for the new
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Rural King store location and for a new Scotty’s Brewhouse chain restaurant at the mall. Rural King has reported that Scotty’s is scheduled to open on Dec. 1 in a long vacant space next on the west side of the east entrance to the mall. Rural King also has reported that it plans to continue seeking new tenants for the mall, including the central anchor storefront where Carson’s recently closed. The 11 for $10 discount store and Heavenly Scents, Crafts & More stores have opened in the mall since Rural King acquired the property. Elsewhere on the east side of Mattoon, city Code Enforcement Official Matt Frederick noted that Walmart has been renovating the exterior and interior of its store at 101 Dettro Drive. He said the renovations and new signage will help facilitate Walmart expanding its online ordering and pickup program for merchandise. “Groceries especially are pretty nice that way,” Frederick said of Walmart’s program. Mattoon’s first ever Starbucks opened this spring at 1023 Charleston Ave. East in the new Mattoon Marketplace 3 retail center, located between Cracker Barrel and the existing Mattoon Marketplace 2 building. The Mattoon Marketplace 3 building includes a drive-through for Starbucks and storefronts for other businesses. Thompson Thrift Retail Group of Indianapolis has developed the Mattoon Marketplace properties. Effingham-based develoeprs constructed North Wind Shopping Centre at 905 Remington Road, along Dettro Drive. Mattoon Chiropractic has opened in this retail center, and other storefronts are available there for additional development. To the south along Dettro Drive, Copper Creek Cottages Memory Care opened in a newly constructed building at 920 Country Club Road. The Effingham Builders Supply company is scheduled to open a Rent X equipment rental business this fall in the former Aaron’s building at 1312 Fort Worth Way, in front of Home Depot. Frederick said Rent X will be able to open in this building with a minimal amount of renovations. “I think any day now you are going to see equipment out there,” Frederick said. Rent X specializes in renting equipment to contractors and the general public. Other business development during the last year and a half on the east side of Mattoon has included Planet Fitness opening at 301 Richmond Ave. East in part of a former Walmart building, Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center constructing a new free standing Walk-In Clinic at 200 Dettro Drive, and First National Bank constructing its new Wealth Management Center at 1117 Broadway Ave. East.
September 2018 | LEADING THE WAY | 5
JOURNAL GAZETTE & TIMES-COURIER
ABOVE: Interstate 57 offers easy access for visitors to Mattoon and Charleston at Illinois Route 16, and development in this area continues to boom. LEFT: Mattoon-based Rural King, with its corporate offices based on DeWitt Avenue, plans expansion here in coming months as it moves its store to the Cross County Mall and its corporate offices utilize more space at this building. KEVIN KILHOFFER, JOURNAL GAZETTE & TIMES-COURIER
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6 | LEADING THE WAY | September 2018
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SBLHC construction plans ongoing JG-TC STAFF
ATTOON — Over the last 15 years, Sarah M Bush Lincoln Health Center’s campus has taken on a contemporary look that hospital officials say helps its patients and visitors feel more comfortable in their surroundings and elicits a feeling of trust. The interior has new fixtures, flooring and furniture, and departments have been relocated to make it easier for people to get around. Also, signs has been upgraded inside and out. With the construction of Prairie Pavilion 1 and 2, the Center for Healthy Living, parking lot renovations and now the new Heart Center, officials feel the main hospital building looks old and out of place, as it was designed in the early 1970s. SBLHS President Jerry Esker said the next step in creating a truly beautiful campus is to revamp the older looks. People make decisions on whether to trust organizations based on first impressions and appearances, he said. “We’re an excellent organization that has the opportunity to put the finishing touches on this 40-plus-year-old building,” Esker said. “Our plans will modernize the entire campus and pull together the newer design elements in our buildings.” To eliminate the industrial look of the building and soften its appearance, the building will have a peak where the logo is currently placed. Matching brick will be ap-
plied and the wall will be extended eight feet to create a focal point on the Health Center. Along the roofline, the top will be extended four feet with a lighted glass wall holding the name of the hospital. The color of the lighted wall can be changed to recognize holidays, births and other special health recognition events. It will be easily visible from Illinois Route 16. The canopies at front entrances will be redone with brick and metal to complement the new entrance. The doors on Entrance A will be repositioned to help stop wind and debris from blowing into the main lobby. Also, brick will also be applied to the west side of the building. Glass will be changed to match that of patient rooms and in the Heart Center addition to help create cleaner, more contemporary lines. Plans are being developed and work is expected to begin in spring 2019. There are also several internal construction and renovation projects planned for the hospital’s current fiscal year. The Heart Center will leave its location on the west end of SBLHC and that space has been allocated to expand the Neurology Clinic and Surgery Clinic. The Heart Center will move into its newly constructed space Oct. 5 and begin seeing patients on Oct. 8. The Neurology Clinic is currently on the third floor of the west end of the hospital.
KEVIN KILHOFFER, JOURNAL GAZETTE & TIMES-COURIER
Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center is getting a new exterior look this year. The new space will allow both clinics room to better accommodate their patients. Construction is expected to begin over the winter. Also, the Urology Clinic will be reconfigured to make its space more efficient. It is also located on the third floor of the west end of the hospital. MRI is moving to the former Regional Cancer Center space on the west side of the hospital from the ground floor. That will place
MRI closer to patient care and both units will be in the same space. That work is expected to be complete in early spring. Also, a new Women’s Imaging Center is opening Oct. 1 near Entrance A to provide area for mammography and bone density exams. Its vacated space in Diagnostic Imaging will be reconfigured to accommodate a third CT scanner to address the volume of scans. Construction is expected to begin in the fall.
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September 2018 | LEADING THE WAY | 7
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Crews with Beniach Construction of Tuscola continued working in August on the installation of a new storm sewer line along Marshall Avenue from 12th to 14th streets, and the removal of street pavement in Mattoon. Public Works Director Dean Barber said Beniach is scheduled to install new pavement from 10th to 14th streets this fall and from Ninth to 10th streets in the spring.
Mattoon, Lake Land making improvements to infrastructure, facilities ROB STROUD rob.stroud@lee.net
ATTOON — The City of Mattoon and M Lake Land College have both been making facility and infrastructure improvements recently. Regarding city infrastructure, crews with Beniach Construction of Tuscola started working in late July on reconstructing Marshall Avenue from Ninth to 14th streets. Public Works Director Dean Barber has said he anticipates that most of the road reconstruction will be completed this year, but some of the work will need to be completed in the spring. The Marshall reconstruction project also is set to include storm sewer, curb, gutter, sidewalk and driveway repairs. The city plans to pay for the work with local motor fuel tax funds and federal road funds. This project is part of the city’s ongoing effort to eventually reconstruct Marshall in sections from Sixth to 17th streets. The city has already resur-
faced the section from Sixth to Ninth streets. In addition, the city has hired A.J. Walker Construction of Mattoon to install new sidewalks along both sides of Champaign Avenue from 22nd to 27th streets this fall. A.J. Walker crews recently started working on the sidewalk project. “This project has a very aggressive schedule. The work is required to be complete by Nov. 16,” Barber has said. Barber has said the Champaign Avenue project is part of $600,000 worth of sidewalk work that the city has completed west of the Canadian National Railroad tracks in the last seven years. He has said the current project also is part of $1.5 million in sidewalk work that has been completed citywide during that same time period. Other sidewalk improvements west of the railroad tracks in recent years have included 26th Street from Walnut to Marshall avenues, Please see improvements, Page 9
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8 | LEADING THE WAY | September 2018
JOURNAL GAZETTE & TIMES-COURIER
Lincoln Avenue sees new life JARAD JARMON jarad.jarmon@lee.net
CHARLESTON — Lincoln Avenue, considered a welcome mat to Eastern Illinois University, is turning around both at an infrastructure and business level, and, according to city officials, has been doing so for quite some time. “Over the past 15 years, there have been a lot of redevelopment projects on Lincoln Avenue,” said Scott Smith, city manager. “Those, unfortunately, get overshadowed by the vacant properties today.” Still, in recent years, Lincoln Avenue has received a lot more attention from the city, and also the business community at large. In the last year, the city made a more public push to draw more business to this route, one of Charleston’s main thoroughfares, through building incentive programs. These incentives include two-year abatements of various city taxes for new and expanding businesses coming to Charleston, excluding those in TIF (tax increment financing) districts. One incentive allows for businesses to get reimbursed for the city’s share of the sales taxes collected from the business for a twoyear period should the business come in. The city’s share of the sales tax amounts to 1 percent of the normally 6.75 percent tax on most items. Another incentive offers an abatement of sales taxes on construction materials used to improve an existing structure for a new business or expanding business. The materials covered under the incentive would include concrete, lumber, floor coverings, wall coverings, and paint, according to the guidelines of the incentive program. For those looking to build on vacant lots that have been empty for more than two continuous years, the incentive program would offer an abatement of property taxes to the city on a prorated scale based on construction costs for two years. The last incentive on the list would discount permit fees, based on a prorated scale. The program also leaves open the chance for
KEVIN KILHOFFER, JOURNAL GAZETTE & TIMES-COURIER
Motorists travel along Lincoln Avenue, foreground, in Charleston with business construction of SweeTea’z, background, on Sept. 17. further incentives based on the size and scale of the business coming in. It won’t be the reason, but it could be a deciding factor for some when choosing where to locate their business, city planner Steve Pamperin said. The city has seen the introduction of new businesses like an ALDI grocery store and Taste, which offers Chicago-style fried chicken. Area businesses have also seen fit
to move to the area, like Bob’s Bookstore and Century 21, which replaced a long-vacant Jumpin’ Jimmy’s gas station that once stood there. Smith noted that a combination of Eastern’s enrollment increases, market factors, and other miscellaneous things have drawn a rise in interest on Lincoln Avenue. “It seems like, right now, we have a lot more conversations going on with different
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potential builders, business owners wanting to do stuff along those corridors,” said Alex Winkle, building code official. Smith noted that there has been more interest in the last six months than has been seen for a while. Smith said there is a certain energy in the air. At the same time, the city recently got the Lincoln Avenue road project on the Illinois Department of Transportation’s radar.
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As previously reported, city officials approved an agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation to do work on approximately 4.3 miles of Lincoln Avenue. The road work will run from .2 miles west of Douglas Drive to .4 miles east of Madison Avenue. The road work will include resurfacing the street as well as repairing the gutters, medians, and curbs along Lincoln and other general improvement work along the road. The project will cost a little more than $4 million. The city will be contributing $153,900 to the effort for striping and traffic light improvements. This is a project the city has been waiting for “for a long time,” Smith said. “We have been talking with IDOT about this for... probably the last five to seven years.” “It has been a hot button topic for a long time (for residents),” he said. Smith said city officials started noticing issues with regard to the drive-ability of Lincoln back in 2010. The project is scheduled to start Jan. 19. Smith indicated Lincoln Avenue will look very different once this project is finished. In addition, the city also plans to do more beautification projects along the strip like the island on Lincoln in front of the university. These improvements will be a part of a master plan for the strip that city officials hope to adopt soon. All of these improvements are expected to feed back into the overall goal of fostering more business on the main drag. “It is no different than you going to build a house somewhere, and you look at a neighborhood that has not had the attention to detail as a newer neighborhood,” Winkler said. “You want to spend your money where that beautification is.” Contact Jarad Jarmon at (217) 238-6839. Follow him on Twitter: @JJarmonReporter
Improvements From 7
the Mattoon High School campus area, and Marshall Avenue from 25th to 32nd streets. Regarding Lake Land, the college recently opened its new Board and Administration Center in the renovated and expanded former childcare lab. Lake Land’s administration offices relocated to this building from the Luther Student Center. The move of the administration offices has freed up space within the Luther Student Center for a renovation and expansion project. The college plans to centralize all of its student services offices, including textbook rental, in the student center. Lake Land’s board of trustees recently hired contractors to construct a foundation and steel frame for the expansion this fall. The board is scheduled in November to hire contractors for carrying out the interior work in the expansion and the renovations in the existing building. The board voted in June to issue $17 million in bonds to fund this construction project and related utility work. Officials have said that Lake Land plans to pay off the bonds over several years without increasing the college’s KEVIN KILHOFFER, JOURNAL GAZETTE & TIMES-COURIER share of local property tax bills. In addition, Lake Land plans to begin Bryan Gleckler, vice president for business services, shows the vice presidents’ area in the new construction in 2022 on a Rural Develop- administration building, formerly the childcare lab, at Lake Land College in mid-August. ment Center next to the Kluthe Center in Effingham. The center will house the Effingham Regional Career Academy, as well as additional classroom and lab space. The center will focus on providing educational opportunities to train for careers in advanced Large banquet room with optional on-site catering manufacturing, agriculture, health care, Super Raffle & Food Every Tuesday @ 7pm technology and transportation. “As a college, we continuously seek inFood served Every Friday Night 6pm – 7:30pm. Public Welcome! novative opportunities to enhance learning Auxiliary Quarter Auction every third Thursday of each month. and improve services. Through these conProceeds go to community non for profits! Public Welcome! struction plans, we will position ourselves to better serve a new generation of students,” Lake Land President Josh Bullock has said. 1903 Maple Ave, Mattoon • 217-234-7155
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Variety of development occurs in downtown Mattoon ROB STROUD rob.stroud@lee.net
MATTOON — Downtown Mattoon has been the scene of a variety of construction projects for businesses, nonprofit organizations, and the city during the last year. In addition, the new Heritage Park at the southwest corner of Broadway Avenue and 17th Street has become a focal point for an increasing number of festivities and live music events downtown. Regarding business construction projects, development has occurred recently at two adjoining buildings at the west end of the Broadway business area. New tenant Culture Frozen Yogurt has opened in renovated space at 1820 Charleston Ave., on the south side of a building that is located on Broadway. “They pretty much let us custom design everything the way we wanted it,” Culture coowner Tanner Kroening has said of the renovation. The new owners of Culture relocated the yogurt shop from Effingham to Mattoon. Culture is slated to share an internal door with Mattoon Flower Shop, which is preparing to move into a renovated storefront at 1819 Broadway Ave. The flower shop is currently located on the southwest side of town. To the west of Culture, the K.C. Summers Auto Group has been remodeling its building at 117 S. 19th St. for use as a Hyundai dealership facility. The remodeling project will
KEVIN KILHOFFER, JOURNAL GAZETTE & TIMES-COURIER
Progress Square in downtown Mattoon is part of the revamping of the midtown area, and with that has come new businesses and the strengthening of existing establishments. include facade improvements and the installation of a 32-foot-tall Hyundai sign at this building at the northwest corner of Charleston and 19th. Some other business openings during the last year or so downtown have included State Beauty Supply, 1632 Broadway Ave.; Wild Rose Boutique, 120 S. 17th St.; Sapphire Salon & Spa, 118 S. 17th St.; Luigi’s Italian Ristorante, 1610 Broadway Ave.; Artsy Chic Studio, 1520
Broadway Ave.; and Brittany Jane’s & Co. home decor, 109 16th St. In addition, Mattoon Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ed Dowd noted that Crites Titles Co. has relocated to 1620 Broadway Ave. Dowd said Consolidated Communications is operating a call center in the former Crites office space about a block east on Broadway. Dowd also noted that First Mid-Illinois
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Bancshares, Inc. constructed a new parking lot at a former teller facility along the south side of Broadway from between 15th and 16th streets, next to the First Mid Insurance Group building. He added that the city has resurfaced a public parking lot along the north side of Broadway from 19th to 21st streets, behind De Buhr’s Seeds & Feeds, Villa Pizza and other businesses. “That was a really nice new development. Now we have plenty of nice parking downtown,” Dowd said of the parking lot projects. Dowd said the need for improved parking downtown has risen with the opening of new businesses and with the increased number of festivities there. He said the Celebrate Downtown Mattoon Christmas festival has grown markedly during the last two years and the new Trunk or Treat Festival last year also drew a big crowd downtown. “Trunk or treat was massive last year,” Dowd said. Both holiday celebrations have utilized Heritage Park, which opened during Christmas season 2016. The new city park also hosts the Artworks festival every June and the Lunch & Music concert series every summer. Regarding nonprofit organization projects, The Haven has almost completed construction of its new homeless shelter and community kitchen building at 1812 Western Ave. downtown.
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TIF district revitalizes Charleston square centered on structural repairs. Most recently, the Body Club, 618 Jackson Ave., was granted additional city funds to finish up improvements to the building’s facade. At a city council meeting, a revision to the agreement with James DiNaso of the Body Club was accepted that will provide an additional $4,512 toward helping complete the project. The original project, approved in 2016, included work to replace five new window lintels and related masonry work. The city was initially going to offer a total of $5,488 for the project, but it was discovered that more money was needed to clean up the facade of the building. Also recently, Mefail Ilazi of Fili’s Station, 611 Monroe Ave., was granted more time to finish the facade work on his building. The most current ongoing projects include the roof improvements to the South Side Cafe building, 614 Jackson Ave., and the Body Club, according to Pamperin said. Pamperin said other projects are expected soon across the square, though. The TIF program is scheduled to end in 2022 barring any extensions as have been implemented in the past.
JARAD JARMON jarad.jarmon@lee.net
CHARLESTON — The tax increment financing (TIF) district on Charleston’s historic square has served the city well as one of the major restorative initiatives in Charleston, and it continues to do so today. The TIF district uses tax funds to entice and help business owners restore and renovate their buildings. The project started in the late ‘80s in an efforts to spark interest from business owners to revitalize the city’s historical square and has since been extended. Some vacant buildings line the square, however; still, most of what is there now would not exist without the TIF district program in place today, according to city officials. “I would guess that there would be several properties within the district that, unfortunately, in my opinion ... probably would not be here,” City Manager Scott Smith said. City Planner Steve Pamperin said it is especially meaningful that the square is largely intact, something that is less common in many communities as time goes by. He said other JARAD JARMON, JOURNAL GAZETTE & TIMES- COURIER cities with squares are not as lucky. “Primarily all of the buildings around the Jeff Sims of Sims Contracting uses a backhoe Wednesday at a site on the Charleston Square. courthouse are still intact,” he said. “From a historical perspective and preservation per- our downtown.” town section have received some renovation Contact Jarad Jarmon at (217) 238-6839. Follow spective, that is really key and really neat to A majority of the buildings in this down- support from the city TIF fund, most of which him on Twitter: @JJarmonReporter
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12 | LEADING THE WAY | September 2018
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Lake Charleston area offers more than trails JARAD JARMON jarad.jarmon@lee.net
CHARLESTON — The Lake Charleston area has been developing for years, whether through its trail system, its facilities or programs to kill non-native plant species. In that time, the lake shore has transformed into something much more than just the trails that surround it, something more than a haven for bikers and hikers: It has become an economic engine for the community. “We realize that, here in Charleston, this is a regional draw for tourists and everything else,” said Steve Pamperin, city planner. “You also have Eastern Illinois University ... The trails are there for student recruitment. They are there for professor retention. It becomes an economic development driver for the community.” It was in the city’s plan to develop the lake area as it has been done, but Pamperin said the trail system, which was started by a volunteer group of bicyclists, created a momentum in the community to get the area developed. Much of the development up to this point has gone toward further supporting the trail system. So far, the city, through state grants and local funding groups like Charleston Area Charitable Foundation, has managed to expand the trail system that was originally established, install new bathrooms, pave or gravel sections of the trail and add a pavilion at the southeast end of the lake. And now, the city is at a stage where they are adding to what the Lake Charleston area could have to offer outside of hiking and biking. Currently, city crews are working on installing new parking along the edges of the road that sits south of the lake. Soon, though, city crews will start installing a playground next to the pavilion. The playground is expected to be installed just west of the pavilion at Lake Charleston. The city once had a playground system at the lake but it was torn down. The new playground is expected to be done in October. According to initial designs, it will be one of the biggest in the city, possibly only surpassed by the playground at Morton Park. The main section of the playground will stretch approximately 81 feet by 89 feet, according to the site plans. Also, city officials and members in the community are working on developing habitats for butterflies and other species along the edge of the east parking area. Soon, city crews will begin paving the upper lake road, making an new trail link on the top side of the hill north of the lake. After that is all complete, the major focus will be on completely overhauling “Dam A,” which is the border at the south most edge of lake made of concrete. Smith said this is where a boardwalk-like area for visitors to the lake will be installed. The work will include tearing down the retaining wall and dressing up a majority of the shoreline with new lighting, pavement, a new boat launch area, which will include a launch
JARAD JARMON, JOURNAL GAZETTE & TIMES- COURIER
Lee Gardner, Charleston utility foreman, unspools yarn at a construction site Wednesday at Lake Charleston.
KEVIN KILHOFFER, JOURNAL GAZETTE & TIMES-COURIER
Kim Leverich, in boat, and Eric Smith, on dock, both from Indiana, prepare to head out on the water at Lake Charleston on Friday, April 20.
ilies for people to use space instead of just driving by that space.” This project is expected to get started in spring. Other smaller improvements include: Road safety improvements to the Illinois Route 130 lake entrance similar to that done at Sister City Park. New lighting around the entire southern edge of the lake. Repair work to the red barn at the entrance of the lake. Trail extensions and improvements. This work will top off a years-long improvement project for city officials to revitalize the lake area, at least what has been planned. “Nothing is ever done, but a lot of what I hoped to get accomplished along the lake island loop, around the boat ramp and all that ... those were things that were on our master plan that we wanted to get accomplished within a 10-year period and we will have accomplished a lot of that within that window,” said Scott Smith, city manager.
area for kayaks, and a new dock. of having the retaining wall there,” Pamperin Contact Jarad Jarmon at (217) 238-6839. Follow “It will kind of give a boardwalk feel instead said. “It will be much more inviting for fam- him on Twitter: @JJarmonReporter
September 2018 | LEADING THE WAY | 13
JOURNAL GAZETTE & TIMES-COURIER
University enrollment trends up JARAD JARMON jarad.jarmon@lee.net
CHARLESTON — This fall, a decade-long disappointing trend at Eastern Illinois University has turned into a triumphant moment for the people on campus. Student enrollment is shifting up. Eastern’s student numbers rose 7.1 percent from this time last year, a more difficult task than one might expect considering university officials were combating years-long declines. A lot can be attributed to fostering the new rise, including new academic majors and the end of the state budget impasse. But enrollment leaders at the university put a lot of onus, also, on the shift in focus that was made across the admissions and marketing departments. Eastern’s struggles with student numbers have been well documented. EIU saw the largest deficit in enrollment in 2016 in comparison to that of recent years before it. From fall 2015 to that year’s enrollment, the university saw a deficit of 1,105 students. By this time, university leaders were already catching on to the idea that a change needed to be made in how the university gets students on campus. EIU President David Glassman in his speeches stressed a concerted effort to make the university less of the “hidden gem” that he was told the university was when he got on campus.
Josh Norman, EIU’s associate vice president for Enrollment Management, said that started with shifting how the admissions and marketing office attracts students, a move that was already taking place. With the use of an outside marketing firm, the university pinpointed where they needed their name out there. On a local front, admissions moved to a research-based model, he said. Instead of spending an equal amount of time and effort on everything, they started looking at what students were actually responding to through in-house systems like My EIU to gauge what worked. This approach, which more universities have learned to adopt in recent years, changed almost all of what the university was doing in terms of getting their name out there. For several years now, the university admissions staff has been heading out to more calculated and strategic regions across the state and nearby states to better utilize admission staff’s time in the field. Norman said a lot has changed for admissions at large, not just at Eastern. “Back 10 years ago, the standard for interacting with a prospective student was a high school lunch visit,” Norman said. “Even though that continues today, I know that it is every other opportunity ... that is so much more effective.” These other opportunities encompass
KEVIN KILHOFFER, JOURNAL GAZETTE & TIMES-COURIER
Students walk across the campus of Eastern Illinois University in Charleston on Aug. 30. campus visits, class visits and so on to give high school students an idea of what it is like to be on Eastern’s campus. Norman said universities including EIU have realized now that they have to fight more for students, which was more foreign back then. Norman said at the time, students were piling in. Kelly Miller, EIU Director of Admissions, said the university is doing more and more events including visits to get prospective students on campus. These visits to Eastern are crucial because more often than not if a prospective student is on campus, they enroll, she said.
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Miller also said that the university has been reaching out to current students more to serve as alumni advocates for the school, which she said has yielded positive results. Beyond the specific changes to where and how students were being reached, something changed on Eastern’s campus during the budget impasse at the state Capitol, Miller said. “The campus really rallied during the budget impasse in Springfield,” Miller said. “Everybody stepped forward and said, ‘What can we do? How can we help?’ That was academic departments digging in and researching new and upcoming majors that are exciting and have great outputs.”
14 | LEADING THE WAY | September 2018
JOURNAL GAZETTE & TIMES-COURIER
Courthouse now has archive of historical records JG-TC STAFF
CHARLESTON — From discharge certificates of Coles County Civil War soldiers to the more mundane, records from the county’s last 187 years are now more readily available. An effort that covered several years has resulted in bound volumes of records stored and accessible at the Coles County Courthouse. For years, the documents ranging from physicians’ records to witness accounts of the Civil War period confrontation known as the Charleston Riot were stored in three vaults in the courthouse basement. It took about eight years, but after steady progress the bound volumes are now in glass-doored shelves in one of the jury rooms on the courthouse’s second floor. “They were very difficult to access,” said Circuit Judge Mitchell Shick, who led the effort to make the records more accessible. The records date to shortly after Coles County was established, which was on Christmas Day, 1830. Shick said one is from a time “before we had a courthouse,” when county business was conducted in a cabin near what’s now the Town Branch Creek. “It’s amazing how they were preserved,” Shick said of the records’ condition. In addition to the bound volumes, the archive room also contains other items with connections to the county’s history. That includes what Shick calls “the Lincoln files,” materials about the 16th president that author Charles Coleman might have used in writing his 1955 book on Lincoln’s time in Coles County. There are also the court depositions from people who witnessed the April 1864 confrontation outside the courthouse between Union soldiers and some opponents of the Civil War, a deadly encounter known as the Charleston Riot. Shick’s now working on a pamphlet that describes the archives’ contents. It includes information about other historical material in the courthouse and lists items from an 1898 time capsule removed from an outside
KEVIN KILHOFFER, JOURNAL GAZETTE & TIMES-COURIER
Judge Mitch Shick talks about some of the county historical archives at the Coles County Courthouse in Charleston on Sept. 5. wall of the courthouse in November. The pamphlet will eventually be online, with a link to it available on the county’s website. Shick said no tax funds were used for the archive project. Court fees collected for the courthouse library account covered the expenses, he said. The archive room is open to the public during courthouse business hours, though Shick asked that visitors contact the county
clerk’s office or court administration office to make arrangements for viewing the materials. Shick credited local attorney Kristen Bays for helping edit the pamphlet, bailiff Jerry Catron for copying and editing photos, and circuit clerk’s office employee Sue Hunter for placing the records in binders. Meanwhile, Shick said plans are under way for another time capsule to be placed in
the courthouse wall in the same location as the one removed in November. A ceremony is planned for Dec. 1 just before the start of Charleston’s “Christmas on the Square” event that evening, he said. The plan is to have the time capsule opened in 2068, Shick said. The content is being arranged but will include essays written by students from county elementary schools.
Oakland businesses try to find ‘niche to serve’ JG-TC STAFF
AKLAND — When it comes to having a O successful business in a small town, it can end up being a matter of “finding a niche to serve.” That’s what George Edwards, president of the Oakland Area Chamber of Commerce, said of an advantage he thinks the city has. “I think Oakland is attractive to people,” he said, mentioning a central location with larger cities not too far away, a safe environment and a low cost of living. Smaller businesses combine with those that might be expected in a rural community to give an optimistic sense of growth for Oakland, Edwards said.
“The business climate for a small town is different,” he said. “You kind of have to find a niche to serve.” An example he mentioned was the opening of a Family Dollar store about a year ago. Though there were some concerns about it competing with the city’s only grocery store, those have been put at ease, he said. The grocery store, operated by the Lucas family, came to Oakland after the city went without one for several years, Edwards noted. Now, it appears the two stores draw people for the nearby area into town to shop at both, he said. “I think they’ve both found a place in the community,” Edwards said.
Another “real boost” for Oakland came about two years ago when the Paris Community Hospital, now known as Horizon Health, opened a clinic, Edwards said. Before that, there hadn’t been a medical provider operating in the city for about 10 years, he said. He said other recent improvements have included a change in ownership of the Norton Knolls golf course. It’s “always been a nice course” but the new owners have made landscaping and other improvements, Edwards said. The city also saw the addition of a senior assisted living facility, Oaks Manor, about 10 years ago, he add.
Longstanding businesses include McQueen Lumber, which Edwards said is known for service and building and well as supplying construction supplies, and the Oakland Noodle Co., which he said is “widely known.” Many of the city’s other businesses are agriculture-related, including Birkey’s Farm Store, the ADM grain elevator and Triple H grain bin builders. Edwards called those a natural fit for a town of the size and location of Oakland. He also said there are indications that about 50 people have moved into Oakland from the nearby surrounding area in the last few years.
September 2018 | LEADING THE WAY | 15
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