Comments on: What people want

By: Rob Reilley

Rob Reilley — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 17:29:08 +0000

I like that idea of Four Beans coming to Elburn. Now that Munchie P’s has hopefully opened the door for more businesses in neighboring towns to want to come to Elburn maybe they will too. I think so far Erin Willrett has done a good job despite the economy of keeping Elburn on the right path and it sounds like you have similiar visions for Elburn as she does.

I do have a few more suggestions: Oberweis or Cold Stone (sorry Alice), a Hallmark and a hardware store.

Thanks again for coming on here. I will check out your site and make sure I vote in April.

By: Patricia Romke

Patricia Romke — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 22:38:47 +0000

Fast food chains are great, because they are quick and easy for in and out service, but I envision a more upscale type of coffee shop/dining venue. Something like “Four Beans” in Batavia would be a great addition to our community. They are not unlike a Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts but they are a solely owned business and bring a unique one of a kind flair, a gathering/meeting place. Regarding the Community Center, that is a not-for-profit organization, not under the Village of Elburn, but I see where you are going and I do support additional opportunities for teens and adults to have a place to go, work out, or just hang out. Keep the good ideas coming!
Please visit my website patriciaromke.com and don’t forget to vote on April 7th.

By: rob reilley

rob reilley — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 21:55:11 +0000

Thanks for coming on here Mrs. Romke.

I think all the business suggestions above are great. Of course a Burger King, Dunkin Donuts and a Chilis restaurant would be nice in the newer section of Elburn (RT 47 and 38).

Also it would be nice to upgrade the Elburn community center. Add some racquetball courts and a workout center maybe. It could be additional revenue for the village from the membership fees.

By: Patricia Romke

Patricia Romke — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 20:38:20 +0000

If you are referring to Express Valuations, they too utilized the matching facade grant. I will pass on your suggestion about posting the minutes more quickly. We also worked with Doc Hall to have repairs made to his building on the NE corner of RT 47 and North St. After being an eyesore for so long it now has a fresh paint job and the necessary repairs were made. This was done at his own expense.

By: mike the taxpayer

mike the taxpayer — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 03:05:09 +0000

Thank you Patricia. That’s two out of 20-30 or however many we have along 47. It would be nice to have more businesses do this. I always forget the name of the business on the SE corner of 47 and North ST but that one looks better too. I need to start coming to the meetings if I wasn;t so busy. I read all the minutes and agendas. Have them post those quicker online, it takes a month and a half to be put on the village’s website.

By: Patricia Romke

Patricia Romke — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:42:51 +0000

At a recent Village Meeting, Dr. Richard Stewart who owns the building on Main St. east of the RR tracks that houses his dental office & the driving school presented a plan to do an extensive face lift on the front of his building. He has requested the matching funds available through the facade grant program when his renovations are completed. The improvements he will undertake are far in excess of the grant match, but it will help to defray a portion of his costs. I believe that this is a viable program and one that should be expanded. It would be encouraging to see the owners of the vacant buildings on Main St. to offer lease incentives to attract new businesses also. The Village of Elburn Community Development Director is also working with the Elburn Chamber of Commerce on economic development; they are meeting tomorrow to discuss this same topic.

By: mike the taxpayer

mike the taxpayer — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:00:26 +0000

We need better and more businesses downtown. Agreed. How will it happen? I would like to see a sportsbar that doesn’t have kareoke and has good food. Is that all it takes is tax breaks? How many businesses have taken part in the facade program where up to 50% of upgrades to downtown Elburn are reimbursed by the village? I don’t have all the answers, no one does.

By: matt smith

matt smith — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 16:56:47 +0000

I would love to see a vibrant downtown Elburn. Incentives are a great idea for businesses, but having places patrons want to visit is important as well. Offering special incentives to certain types of businesses could go a long way in gently guiding downtown Elburn’s future. Some extra incentive for restaurants, maybe a hardware store, and small independent niche businesses. These are the types of places that make it in small downtowns. They don’t try to compete with anything the inevitable big box stores try to do.

A great downtown is possible here, even with the trains. Look at Elmhurst. The same train line runs right through their downtown, and it is still a great place to be.

By: Patricia Romke

Patricia Romke — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 19:34:58 +0000

Wouldnâ€™t we all like to attract more businesses to downtown Elburn? To do this we need to offer more incentives. Working together with the existing area businesses, the Elburn Chamber of Commerce, and our own Community Development Director we could create an exceptional downtown with new street lamps, decorative sidewalks, and plantings. I would like to see our faÃ§ade grant program increased in the coming years to allow more businesses the opportunity to perform a face-lift and recoup matching funds from the Village of Elburn. The matching funds would be paid out when the improvements are completed. Although these projects would not be completed overnight, getting started will create the raison d’Ãªtre, making downtown Elburn more attractive, and our place to meet friends and spend time together.
Visit my website at http://patriciaromke.com

By: Sandy

Sandy — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 23:15:58 +0000

We need a community swimming pool, or at the very least, some type of mutual rate with one of the other communities that has a pool……Elburnites have to pay a fortune to swim in other towns…..
More series dvds at the library
More books on dvd at the library
Access to the train from downtown
Another restaurant/bar (Cotti’s we miss you!)