S. Elgin to offer downtown business beautification programs

The village of South Elgin is embarking on a couple of initiatives to beautify its downtown.

A new facade improvement program will allow business owners within the downtown Tax Increment Financing District to be reimbursed for exterior work such as painting, replacing doors and windows, roof repairs, landscaping improvements, parking repairs and more, officials said.

The village has allocated $50,000 in TIF funds for the program. Businesses would be eligible for up to $10,000, not to exceed 50 percent of the project cost.

Also, the village is planning to partner with South Elgin High School's art program to have students create banners for the village's new streetlights.

Deputy Village Administrator Meg Golden said the village board gave both initiatives an initial OK Monday night and is expected to approve them Oct. 6.

Eric Golz, owner of Everything Pedal on Route 31 just north of State Street, said he was glad to hear that. He already tried to spruce up the exterior by painting it white and planting hostas, he said.

"I'm all for improving the look of downtown South Elgin," he said. "They should also light up downtown. It's too dark here."

The village will have a total of 40 new streetlights within the next two weeks in the area near village hall, Community Development Coordinator Marc McLaughlin said. The plan is to gradually increase that to 250 over the years as new projects come along, he said.

The streetlight banner program would include seasonal artwork crated by South Elgin High students.

The village used to have banners until 2009 or so, before the South Elgin Chamber of Commerce disbanded, Trustee Scott Richmond said.

"We're hoping (the facade program) will help enhance the look along Route 31 as we continually try to bring in more development and make it more of a commercially viable area," he said.

"South Elgin really doesn't have a defined downtown area like a lot of river communities do, so this is another step in that direction."

This would be the first such program implemented by the village, Trustee John Sweet said.

"A lot of (businesses) actually can't afford to do the improvements so this is a way to help them get the front of their building up to shape," he said.

Mario Macchiarella, owner of Fox Trail Restaurant north of downtown on Route 31, also said he likes the new initiatives. "We could paint the outside, make it look like new," he said.

South Elgin's downtown Village Center and La Fox Street Corridor TIF District is bordered by Route 31 from approximately the Fox River Trolley Museum to just north of Melrose Avenue, and by Gilbert Street from north of Oak Street to Middle Street.