NEW MANAGER ON A MISSION

When Glenview’s new manager started hunting for a house earlier this year, he fell in love with Dewes Street, but Todd Hileman discovered that prices for nice town homes downtown were $150,000 higher than comparable properties at The Glen. “It was simple economics,” he says in explaining why he and his wife bought at The Glen.

That decision tells a lot about Hileman. He describes himself as “very business oriented,” sees no reason why government should not be run as a business and is pledging to simplify the budget process at Village Hall to assure greater accountability. 

“I always start with the money and the personnel,” says the 36-year.  After managing the affairs of Vandalia, Missouri; Delavan, Wisconsin and Avondale, Arizona, Glenview’s new manager says he can hit the ground running. “I want to know where the money is, if we’re organized, and if there’s a better way of doing things.”

Toward that end, he’s spent long hours with Glenview’s finance director Dan Wiersma, Development Director Mary Bak and Assistant Manager Joe Wade since starting work on December 2.  He is on the phone to Glen Redevelopment Director Don Owen at least twice a day and recently dropped by Owen’s office for a visit.  “I want to know what’s going on out there.  We’re opening everything up,” he explains. 

To some extent, Hileman feels spending shifts at The Glen are a function of the large and unpredictable nature of that development. “The challenging thing with a TIF is you don’t know what’s coming your way,” he explains. “The residential tax base is solid, but the retail and corporate components are less certain.”  He can see that restaurants are doing well there. The question is, “How long will it sustain?  Will people still be coming in ten years?”

Asked about a $4 million jump in projected costs for a new police station, attributable to oversights and rising costs for materials, Hileman measures his words.  “It was what it was,” he says with a shrug. “I’m still trying to determine what happened. I tend to be more conservative with projects of that magnitude. I think I would have spent a little bit more time up front, doing some construction estimates. I don’t know what process they used at first.” 

Hileman says he has considerable experience with “bricks and mortar” projects and feels good planning is often key to preventing mistakes and cost overruns.  He has overseen construction of two government centers including the $50 million Avondale city hall, police station and courts complex.  “I’ve done a lot of planning, riding the budgets, forcing people to be accountable,” he says.

Already, he’s created a new committee of high-level managers at Village Hall to meet regularly and discuss progress on capital improvements. “I like working with committees where when you leave there’s eight or 10 or 12  people who just heard the same thing, who are on the same page.” 

LOOKING OVE R THE BOOKS

Overall, Hileman feels comfortable with Glenview’s financial situation, but he’s concerned about a 2-3 year lag in getting properties at The Glen onto the tax rolls.  He vows to sit down with Wiersma and Wade “to see how quickly we can get the property on the books and how quickly we can get this TIF paid off.”  Tax increment financing, a tool used to divert tax dollars from schools, parks and the library to pay for Glen development, is not expected to end until 2014 at the earliest.

Hileman also says he’s concerned about the way the village keeps its books and reports to the public. “We have to make it as simple as possible for people to understand,” he says, adding that he’s asked Wiersma to make changes and may recommend hiring of additional personnel in the finance department to “put some basic processes in place and build levels of accountability.”

He might also recommend more public outreach.  As manager of Avondale – a fast-growing suburb of Phoenix – he presided over several neighborhood meetings at which local leaders asked, “Are we spending your money the way you want us to?”  Every two years, Avondale went so far as to conduct a telephone survey of residents, again hoping to learn what taxpayers wanted most.

As a result of those polls and meetings, Hileman says community plans sometimes changed. “It was pretty powerful.  Parks and community centers were built because of what people said.”  And because people felt they had been consulted, the village manager says residents were more willing to approve referenda to fund those initiatives.

MENDING GLENVIEW’S FENCES

Hileman thinks that same kind of outreach and attention could go a long way toward easing bad feelings that some long-time residents have about The Glen.  He believes a similar situation existed in Avondale after a major highway came through town, sparking extensive commercial development on the north side of I-10 but little activity to the south.

During public budget hearings, local officials took pains to assure that both sides of the community got equal public services from street repairs and plowing to police and fire protection.  “That really helped to diffuse tensions,” he says.

As for Glenview’s track record on public service, Hileman is impressed.  “Bill Porter is one of the best public works directors I’ve seen.  He and his assistant, Chris Clark, have a strong commitment to customer service.” 

He also hails Assistant Manager Wade for making his transition easy, and says

the managers of neighboring communities have called to wish him well.  Hileman knows many of them, having lived and worked in this area for several years early in his career.  He earned a master’s degree in public administration at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb and worked in Niles and Cary before taking his first manager’s job in Missouri.

One of his classmates was a former assistant to Glenview’s long-time manager Paul McCarthy.  Hileman came to know and like McCarthy, and the former manager did call from Florida to wish his successor well. Hileman has not called McCarthy back for any advice since taking the reins. “I want to make my own evaluation on how we’re doing business here,” he explains.

HEADING DOWNTOWN

The new village manager thinks downtown planners have failed to communicate one key point about any redevelopment that might take place.  If Glenview wants new stores and restaurants, it must do something to make the area more appealing to developers.  That might mean using tax increment financing to pay for some aspects of redevelopment with public dollars, or it could mean allowing more profitable high-density housing – condos and town homes.

Hileman says the pace of development will depend on what the community wants and is willing to do.  If the village would, for example, allow six-story buildings along Waukegan or Glenview roads, “Land speculation would go crazy, and you’d see building in there within six months with no public investment,” he says.  Recognizing that the community would never stand for that, Hileman has asked downtown development consultant Steve Friedman to begin researching financing options, but he pledges extensive discussions with the public, the schools and park district before anything is done.

The new manager thinks it’s possible that Glenview will do something minimal, like improving the facades of existing buildings. He says that could be done relatively soon and at little cost, but he feels the community should take its time on major changes. “Public deliberation is goal one,” he says. “If there’s general agreement, then we begin to look at how we get there. There is no right answer,” he concludes, “only the direction that a majority of our community wants to move in.”

As a newcomer, he also hopes to be a peacemaker relative to a new library and will encourage the community to “really think this through. I’ve just gone through the experience of doubling the size of a facility and seeing what that does to your budget.  You don’t just have a tax levy increase and build the building.  You have to think about the operating and maintenance costs.”

Hileman knows Glenview is a challenging place right now, but he’s experienced a bigger, faster-growing community than this.  Avondale is 60 square miles and was attracting 10,000 new residents a year. He’s encouraged by the positive attitude of the people he’s met in Glenview, has talked with each of the trustees and looks forward to the job ahead.  Smiling, Hileman concludes, “I like to be busy.”

HIGH SCHOOL TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARING ON ZERO TOLERANCE

Glenbrook District 225 will host a public debate on its zero tolerance policy toward possession of alcohol, drugs or drug paraphernalia on campus.  The public is invited to testify at 7 p.m. Thursday, January 6 at Glenbrook North High School, 2300 Shermer Road.  Right now, students caught with contraband must be expelled, regardless of the circumstance or their past conduct. 

A panel of school staffers has recommended a more lenient policy, allowing suspension for first-time offenses. Advocates of “tough love” are also expected to speak up. “The people who get out here are the ones who have a complaint,” said board member Tom Shaer.  He claims to have heard privately from many people who support the current policy.  "There are 70,000 people living in our two communities. The only people I've heard from in a vocal way are the people who think the policies are too strong,” he added. “Anyone who thinks either way, I hope they come out.”

A committee of faculty and administrators will also recommend that penalties be as strong for possession of drug paraphernalia as for drugs themselves.  Superintendent Dave Hales says students who bring pipes or rolling papers to school may do so to share drugs with others.  He thinks creating a more lenient policy might “send the wrong message to students.”

DISTRICT 34 DUPED

Following a glowing announcement that Congressman Mark Kirk had brokered a deal to make military housing pay taxes to local schools, School District 34 Superintendent Gerald Hill crowed, “This is a great deal.”  He was especially happy about the timing, telling the Chicago Tribune that extra money could help to offset a $2 million deficit in fiscal 2005. 

One week later, the superintendent was more reserved, noting that the property is in a tax increment financing district at The Glen. That means all of the tax revenues will go to the village until the village decides to end the TIF.  Officials say that could happen sometime between 2014 and 2016, too late for the district’s next budget by about 10 years.

Kirk had predicted revenue for Glenview schools would rise from $136,441 per year to nearly $1.15 million, but Village President Larry Carlson told the Glenview Announcements he thinks that number is “way too high.”  He added that there would be new students to educate, creating new costs.

Glenview had hoped to get 19 of the 38 acres owned by the Navy for soccer fields, but the Pentagon held on to the property in the northwest corner of the former Naval Air Station and now plans to sell it to developers. Bids are due in January, contracts could be awarded next November, the land would go back on the tax rolls in 2006, and ground could be broken in 2008.

OLPH MEN’S CLUB THREATENS LEGAL ACTION AGAINST LEAKERS

Last week, the Watch told of efforts to organize men from Our Lady of Perpetual Help to elect trustees who would assure favorable treatment of the church in redevelopment downtown.  Our story was based, in part, on an e-mail sent by parishioner John Nicolau to members of the OLPH Men’s Club.   A few days after The Watch was posted, Nicolau sent details of an upcoming public hearing to members – but not before warning recipients to keep their lips zipped. Nicolau wrote: “This confidential communication is to and for the OLPH Men's Club use only.  Any reuse of this message outside of the OLPH community without the expressed and written consent of the sending parties may result in legal action.”   

DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS CHALLENGE KIMBALL HILL ADS

Residents of Glenview’s historic heart – the area surrounding the public library – are annoyed by recent ads for apartments at The Glen Town Center.  On a marketing website, their developer boasts: “The Glen Town Center is a pedestrian-oriented main street retail, entertainment, and housing district at the heart of Glenview. . .The apartments have balconies overlooking the street, Navy Park, and other plazas. Hangar One, on the National Register of Historic Places, along with Von Maur department store, upscale retail, a not-for-profit museum, and restaurants are a short walk away.”

PARK PLANS GET SHORT SHRIFT

Two members of the Glenview Park District board showed up for a recent presentation by consultants advising the village on downtown redevelopment, but they were disappointed when almost no time was devoted to discussions of parks and open space.  The consultants did suggest some activities be organized in Jackman Park.  Apparently unaware of the beloved Bearfoot in the Park concerts each summer, they suggested poetry readings in the gazebo.

MORE PARK DISTRICT NEWS AND NOTES

-- Commissioner Judy Beck, who has served on the park board for more than 30 years, says her mind and her heart have been debating whether she ought to seek re-election this spring.  “My mind tells me I don’t have the time,” Beck says, “but there are still a couple of things I’d really like to do.”  Then, casting a teasing glance at some of the board’s ardent golfers, who have little appreciation for Beck’s environmental bent, she added: “And I have so much fun aggravating some people around here.”

-- With two new swimming pools opening this summer, the need for lifeguards and other personnel in Glenview will more than triple, and demand for people to staff other summer programs remains high.  That’s why the Glenview Park District will host a job fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. December 22 in room 205 of Park Center.

-- The district plans to issue free identification cards to district residents who don’t have a driver’s license, making it possible for them to prove residency and pay lower rates at the pools and for other programs.

-- Outdoor skating is now possible at John’s Park, and the district is planning a wide range of family activities at its Landwehr Road rink for the two-week period when kids are not in school.  To learn more about the Winter Carnival, go to http://www.glenviewparkdist.org/WinterCarnival_115057.asp .

-- Glenview Children’s Theatre will hold auditions for children in grades 4-7 on January 10 and 11.  For details visit: http://www.glenviewparkdist.org/AuditionsforGlenviewChildrensTheatre_115105.asp .

PLAN COMMISSION TACKLES TRUCK COMPLAINTS

Glenview has a law on the books banning any trucks from parking overnight on local streets or in driveways, but with more residents using trucks and vans for passenger transportation, Village Hall is taking a second look. 

Debate at the plan commission highlighted different views of the community, with Chairman Howard Silver arguing for fairly strict limits on the types and sizes of commercial vehicles that could sit out overnight.  He wondered if vans or small trucks that carried ladders and other workmen’s tools, taxis and limos should be stored in garages or kept at a place of business rather than in residential driveways.

Commissioner Steve Bucklin thought it unfair to restrict small business men and women.  “This is the way some people make their living,” he argued.  “To say that because they have a PVC pipe on the top of their van shouldn’t be allowed to park in their driveway is taking away that person’s ability to make a living.  It may be unsightly to some, but it’s that person’s gold mine.”

Commissioner Joe DiMattina thought maybe Glenview should restrict parking of trucks and vans with lettering on the sides. 

Bucklin noted that managers of Pepper Construction drive passenger cars with company identification, and they would be exempt from the ordinance.  “I don’t want to discriminate between the management and the trades,” he said.    

Silver wanted to at least limit the number of commercial vehicles parked in a driveway to one and let families where two or more people drive commercials vehicles ask for a variance from Village Hall. 

Bucklin said parking a fleet in one’s driveway “is not right,” but he was reluctant to say how many commercial vehicles should be allowed to sit overnight in a driveway.  He figured local laws banning certain kinds of businesses from operating in residential areas could be applied if necessary.

Development Director Mary Bak proposed a compromise, allowing parking of more than one commercial vehicle if each is driven by a resident living in the home.   

In the end, the commission voted to allow overnight parking of relatively small trucks and vans with B license plates (those that weigh no more than 8,000 pounds when fully loaded), taxis and limos on public streets and in driveways.  The matter goes to the village board in January.

COOK COUNTY PLANS IMPROVEMENTS AT LAKE-COOK & WAUKEGAN

Work to improve the intersection of Waukegan and Lake Cook roads may start in February if all goes as planned.  Cook County plans to spend about $10 million to widen the roads and add more turn lanes.  Merchants in the area are worried that the construction will hurt business.  An accelerated schedule could get the job done in one and one-half years, or the county could opt for a two-year plan. 

MORE NEWS FROM THE NEIGHBORS

-- Wheeling has agreed to pay for 22 percent of a new 400-room Westin Hotel at the corner of Milwaukee Avenue and Lake-Cook roads.  A developer will use that $23 million incentive to buy the 21.5 acre site.  Wheeling hopes it can repay bonds for the project over 20 years with a combination of sales, hotel and property taxes. In addition to a four or five-star hotel, the site once occupied by the Wedgewood Riding Center, a Wonder Bread outlet and AAA Auto Sales could see a new bank and six stores and restaurants.  Construction should begin next spring, and Wheeling officials hope it will spark revitalization of that community.

-- Deerfield is wondering whether to provide incentives to a Lincolnshire-based pharmaceutical company.  Takeda of North America wants to build as many as five six-story buildings on the northeast corner of Saunders and Lake-Cook roads.  The facility would not provide any sales tax, and Deerfield would get just 7 percent of the property tax, so the trustees are hesitant.  Local officials point out that Takeda probably wants Lake Michigan water, which it could get by incorporating into Deerfield, and the state of Illinois has already promised incentives to keep the company from carrying out a threat to move to North Carolina.

-- Northbrook has approved plans for a three-story office building at 1363 Shermer Road, and local officials hope the new construction will spur redevelopment of that community’s downtown area.  Northbrook has been debating the size of the building and the amount of parking developer Mitch Gerson must provide for about a year.  The  building will be 25,000 square feet and have 15 parking spots.  Ten to 20 more will be leased from a neighboring church.

-- Look for a large Catholic Assyrian church to be built at the corner of Shermer and Old Willow Roads on the northern boundary of The Glen.  The congregation of St. Andrew, which now meets at Maryville Academy in Des Plaines, has raised more than half a million dollars for the church.  Holidays bring as many as 1,000 worshipers. The property is actually in Northbrook, and that community is expected to approve construction plans.

THE GREEN SCENE

-- If you love the outdoors and want to lend a hand with prairie restoration at The Grove, mark your calendar for January 8.  That’s when volunteers will collect seeds and pull weeds.  For more information, call 847-299-6096.

-- Glenview’s State Senator Susan Garrett won the 2004 Acorn Award from the Nature Conservancy earlier this month.  Garrett was recognized for helping restore two open space programs that the governor had cut from the 2005 budget.  Known by the acronyms OSLAD and NAAF, those programs have provided substantial support for The Grove and other Glenview parks. 

-- The Botanic Garden and Northwestern University are joining forces to offer the first master’s degree of its kind in plant biology and conservation.  The program will focus on the dangers of extinction as thousands of species are dying out due to pollution, destruction of habitat and invasion by non-native species.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO CLOSE CHRISTMAS, NEW YEAR’S EVE

No public meetings are scheduled between now and the new year. Village Hall and the park district offices will be closed on December 24 and 31.  Glenview’s public library will close December 24, 25 and 26.  On the other hand, local police will be on the job, joining 11 other north suburban departments to stop drunk drivers on Milwaukee Avenue from Gurnee to Chicago.

HOLIDAY HELP WANTED

If you’d like to wrap holiday packages for needy kids, contact Glenview/Northbrook Youth Services at 724-2610.  For other opportunities, call the Volunteer Information Center at 724-4483.

Have new gloves or mittens you’re willing to donate?  Bring them to the Glenview Ice Center for the mitten/glove tree and get a free raffle ticket.  For details, call 724-2800.

THANKS AND BEST WISHES FOR A HAPPY NEW YEAR

We’ll be taking a little time off over the holidays to recharge batteries and get reacquainted with the family, so this is our last chance to thank those who have supported us in 2004.  We looked over the list of donors and were amazed to find more than 125 individuals and couples who had contributed to our effort.  Special thanks to Kim and Kathleen who’ve sent checks like clockwork since we began publishing in 2000. 

We know that the list of causes asking for your support is long, and we recognize that there are more important things than a community newsletter dedicated to the proposition that democracy can only work with a well-informed public, and local government will only get better if local residents get involved.  Still, if you’ve had a good financial year and feel so inclined, we would welcome a small, non-deductible contribution.  Checks can be made payable to Glenview Watch and mailed to 3537 Maple Leaf Drive, Glenview 60026. 

We’d also welcome your e-mails and letters in the year to come, since a great part of our success derives from the participation of readers.  Happy holidays to all, and to all a good fight!

READERS WRITE:

AO writes about efforts by some parishioners at OLPH to stave off required stormwater detention by electing friendly new trustees to the village board: “Why should OLPH be exempt from its responsibility to address runoff water concerns?  That they have been able to put off building required storm water retention vaults for nearly 10 years is bad enough.  Now, they want to continue leaving the vaults unbuilt?  Unreal.

“What really compelled me to write was Father Flavin’s suggestion that if OLPH has to come up with $1 million to pay for storm water retention vaults, he’d have to close the school and dump 900 students into District 34.  C’mon!  Who’s he kidding? That is ludicrous.  OLPH is a wealthy parish and school.  When OLPH needed a new school building during the mid-late 90’s, it was quickly built.  With cash.  Approximately $1 million in cash. 

“There remain significant funds in the reserves of OLPH School to deal with any major need, but they talk about bankruptcy?  That insults the intelligence of everyone in Glenview. The fact that Father Flavin and the church leaders have evidently not prepared themselves financially for the expiration of the 1995 covenant [requiring a storm water control system by 2005] may show they never intended to follow the law in the first place.  A church that could pay for a $1 million school expansion in cash might have been setting aside $100,000 per year for this project.

“Finally, the very idea that people should run for the village board just to represent the special interests of one organization, even my church, disrespects the very concept of public service.  OLPH has a longstanding tradition of ‘me-first’ social behavior.  That selfishness doesn’t represent the views of all of us in the church, but when it rears its ugly head like this, someone has to speak up.”

Plan Commission Chairman Howard Silver responds to a reader who wished someone would fix up the southeast corner of Greenwood and Glenview roads: “The problem stems from the fact that it is in unincorporated Cook County and not in the village.  Therefore, we have no control. A similar situation existed on the northeast corner.  The strip center and Jiffy Lube were built in the county.  Glenview would never have allowed that second building, the inadequate parking, and the cinder-block appearance.  It wasn't until the property owner wanted the village to supply that strip with water that it was annexed, but the damage had already been done.  The only control we have now is an agreement to limit food establishments due to the parking problem. The opposite situation exists on the west side of the intersection.  Both Walgreens and Glenview State Bank were annexed before they were built, and the village was able to help design buildings that fit in appearance and function well. Unfortunately, it may be a long time before we can see those types of improvements on that last corner.”

SH insists Congressman Kirk is a moderate:  “He supports a woman's right to terminate an unwanted pregnancy.  He also tacitly supports the environmental issues that his constituency supports. Mark Kirk is a conservative on all other issues and is a consistent supporter of the Bush Administration and its use of our troops to implement the government's neoconservative agenda and support of the oil industry, the gun lobby, and eventual elimination of social security. All in all, Mark Kirk represents what a majority of his voters want most.  And that, my friends, is why he was re-elected.”

The Watch replies:  Maybe so, but we think your conclusion ignores two more compelling explanations for Kirk’s victory.  First, he outspent his opponent by about $1.6 million to $95,500 -- a ratio of more than 16 to one!  Second, nearly 99 percent of incumbents were re-elected.  We suspect most people were voting for a familiar name and the perception of moderation when, in fact, Kirk may not really represent a district that supported John Kerry for President.

Mr. H was not surprised to hear how the Glenview Chamber of Commerce disdained Glenview Watch: “The chamber has truly given The Watch a great compliment and has shown publicly the strength of independent opinion in this community. The chamber of commerce is the embodiment of Babbit and has become so irrelevant today through its continual support of Republican administrations from Springfield to Washington, all of whom have either stolen from its citizens through corruption and sleeze (George Ryan, Savings and Loan debacle), or padded the pockets of the rich through sweetheart deals (Illinois First, Nuclear Missile Submarine program), unneeded pork barrel projects, and outright gifts of lower taxes while their own constituents (small business owners) pay for it through unfair competitive practices and outrageous medical costs for their employees. The chamber should get real and push themselves away from the buffet and get into really doing something for their members by being imaginative and thinking outside their old box.”

And EB writes: “You should be smiling. As far as I'm concerned a roast is a great compliment -- a back-door way of saying we like you.”   

TS snears at a claim that “Housing on the North Shore is so expensive that most managers could not afford to live in the communities they oversee without assistance. “Let's see, $180,000 annually and an interest free loan of another $150,000.
I earn $42,000 a year, I am single, (no dual income) and I own my own home
in Glenview. Oh wait, and I pay taxes so that we can give all this to the
village manager. What is their definition of living?”

RB thinks a $150,000 interest-free loan to the new manager is completely unnecessary: “If this perk were really needed, the only people who could afford to live in Glenview would be people making at least $180,000 a year. My wife and I combined make no where near what the village manager earns, yet we were able to buy a house two years ago in a nice Glenview neighborhood built in the 1960's.  Maybe the message here is a house like mine: 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath with attached garage is sub-standard
for a manager.  I would think that the wonderful real estate agents of Glenview could find an ample sized home in Glenview that the manager could afford without this perk. I also worry about a conflict of interest regarding retiring the TIF and more development incentives for The Glen with our new manager getting a subsidy to live there.” 

With most of the traffic on Glenview Road coming during rush hour, after school or after church, Stu Hamilton thinks downtown Glenview could probably handle additional residential and commercial development being proposed by village consultants: “If OLPH were to be redeveloped by moving the classroom frontage back to the current alley line and demolishing the Playdium, a wall of solid commercial and residential buildings could be developed.  Downtown Glenview would certainly then become commercially viable, assuming that the parking needs could be met, the traffic demands satisfied and that new stores and businesses could be enticed to relocate. I would love to see that.  Evanston, Deerfield,  and Highland Park have improved their retail centers in this way and have prospered, though they need help with traffic flow problems. Our elected officials must have the fortitude to make change happen for the betterment of all of Glenview. Through this kind of development and governmental control the community will become more than just The Glen, but also a real, complete village.”

LP asks about “what they are planning for the intersection of Chestnut and Waukegan.  This will affect my neighborhood, and I am interested in finding out more.”

The Watch replies:  When the village gets around to this project, traffic engineers will evaluate various ways to make that intersection safer and more efficient.  Among other things, they may change the signal timing and add turn lanes.  In the mean time, you can send concerns about that intersection to the head of the traffic committee at Village Hall, Sgt. Terry Urbanowski.  She can be reached at turbanowski@glenview.il.us .

MV thinks a post office and library could coexist nicely: “How I'd love to see the library and post office move next to each other at The Glen -- what a joy it would be to dissolve the parking problems that exist for both edifices -- and walking between these buildings is hazardous, with the mail delivery vans and extinction of a direct walk-way, considering the orange construction zones and lack of sidewalk between the expanded public building dissecting the post office and library.  How about making life a little easier for the older folk in Glenview?  I just turned 69 but I'm not planning on moving after living here since 1975!”

DV asks: “When will Red's Auto Body Shop be allowed to rebuild?  What is holding it up?  They are the nicest people to deal with, ethical, friendly and always do a super repair job.”  She adds, “Glenview’s downtown development consultants think a sporting goods store could do well. There already is such a store at The Glen plus The Soccer House in downtown Glenview and North Shore Soccer & More in Northfield.  Why would we need another place to buy sporting goods? Also, they want to tear down the fire station.  That means they have to build another one.  That's one very expensive proposition!  As taxpayers, we don't want to hear about any more wild, unnecessary spending.  Enough is enough. If the fire station is not modern enough, let them modernize it.”

The Watch replies:  Nothing the consultants suggest is set in stone, so keep your trustees posted on what you’re willing to fund and what you’d rather not have.  Remember that many of the retail suggestions are based on the assumption that the population of downtown will increase dramatically with the construction of many more town homes and condos. As for Red’s, rumor has it the property has been sold subject to rezoning for residential development. There’s been substantial pressure to allow townhouses or condos in that area, and some members of the plan commission have expressed support for a change.  

RM doesn’t think downtown redevelopment can succeed without a major overhaul:  “Why go there?  There is nothing for young people to do.  We need something more like The Glen or downtown Highland Park where, in the summer, people stroll around at night and have fun.” 

YOUR TURN:  Write to glenviewwatch@aol.com or 3537 Maple Leaf Drive, Glenview, IL 60026. If you haven’t already done so, please consider making a contribution to support The Watch. Non-deductible checks should be payable to Glenview Watch. Thanks for your support and for reading. Dean Schott and Sandy Hausman, Co-Editors.

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