The mayor of Bloomington said the summer is marking progress on more than $315 million in public and private investment projects.
During a Sound Ideas interview, Dan Brady said housing construction is going well in particular. City permits are up nearly 103% compared with the same time last year, according to the city.
Brady also said he looks forward to change at the Economic Development Council that more closely aligns with city priorities.
Downtown lofts
The GJ Lofts residential rehab project in Downtown Bloomington by Urban Equities Partners also includes a Starbucks outlet, something that has the potential to cannibalize trade at existing businesses. Brady said the city should treat the question of how much impact a proposal has on current business as a balancing equation.
“If you can get that project to a point where there are 180 some units in that building, I think that would mean there would be more people coming into Downtown Bloomington,” said Brady.” “The Coffee Hounds or Ivy Lane or the Lab Coffees or places like that, those all I think stand to benefit from more people Downtown.”
Construction began in May after the council signed off on phasing the rehab of the old State Farm Fire building. Phase one will be 57 studio, one bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments, and ground floor commercial businesses. All phases of the $80 million effort may be done by late 2028.
“We're in a much better position if we've got to phase it versus nothing, that's better for the city,” said Brady, adding that flexibility is a sign of Bloomington’s new approach to projects.
“Meaning how are we going to figure out a way to do it instead of either just saying no, it can't be done, or being told it can't be done,” he said. “I send our kudos to our economic folks that have not only on this project but on many other projects have found a way, and these things take time.”
Empire Flats
The Empire Flats project on Route 9 east of Towanda Avenue will start construction in mid-July, said Brady. That will eventually have 207 units across seven buildings. Brady said that has great potential to affect the affordability of housing in the community.
“Hopefully it will be a summer where people see transformations going on that are very positive for this community,” said Brady.
Bloomington has more than 550 housing units either permitted or in the planning stages, including both single-family homes and apartment complexes, according to a city statement. Carle Health's planned east-side addition to its medical campus has yet to break ground.
Electrolux/Mennonite Hospital site
Brady said he is encouraged by feelers on the old Mennonite Hospital and Electrolux site now that the city and Illinois Wesleyan University have completed a land swap on part of the property along northbound Main Street.
“We have three developers that are interested in a housing phase of that, interested in potential some retail, all are all positive,” said Brady.
He envisioned a “great open gateway to the campus of Illinois Wesleyan through that particular complex.”
“It has great potential,” said Brady, who also noted redevelopment would benefit Franklin Park to the east.
He said a committee is evaluating the three proposals and he hopes to have public discussion on one of them by the end of the year, adding the city wants to keep momentum going.
Economic Development Council
On Monday, the Bloomington City Council established conditions for the Economic Development Council to continue to receive funding from the city. It included proof of performance items, some of which would seem basic, like an annual report to the city, regular written updates, providing spending and expense reporting.
Wasn’t the city already getting that?
“To a degree. It wasn’t to a sufficient degree," said Brady. "Our community development people that we sat down with, we asked for what you would like to see moving forward with the Economic Development Council.”
Brady has expressed skepticism about the direction of the EDC before.
“Now that there's been a change in leadership there, and now that we have an interim director, it’s really brought a lot of things to the forefront of how we're going to move forward,” he said.
Brady said he will be on the committee that will talk about the future of the EDC. Mayors and city managers already sit on the EDC board, have influence in the organization’s direction, and can introduce issues they believe are important.
“I would probably point you to the fact that that's probably why we have the interim director now, and that's probably why things had changed on that front,” said Brady.
Patrick Hoban, who led the EDC for six years, announced in March he was leaving to take a job with Ameren.
Brady said he sees the primary functions of the EDC as administering the recently expanded multicounty enterprise zone that includes portions of Bloomington and Normal, guiding projects across the finish line, and navigating some negotiations in which by law municipalities cannot fully engage.
“However, what I don't want to see is duplication. I want to see the strengths and identify those strengths of what the EDC can do, and how that differs from what the City of Bloomington is doing and can do in the future,” said Brady. “I'd like to see the communication between the EDC and our city folks, enhanced.”
