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Gurnee trying again to revive East Grand Avenue

An international nonprofit organization might provide ideas to Gurnee on how to revitalize the Grand Avenue business corridor east of Route 41.

Village board trustees Monday night voted 5-0 in favor of paying $15,000 to Urban Land Institute's Chicago branch if the organization accepts Gurnee's application that'll seek help for generating ideas on boosting East Grand Avenue.

Urban Land Institute is a nonprofit organization with private-sector experts who assist in creating and sustaining vibrant communities across the world. The institute is known for exploring land-use issues and hosting forums to find solutions to problems.

Gurnee Mayor Kristina Kovarik said she hopes the village's application is ready by week's end. She stressed the village won't pay anything if the application isn't accepted.

Kovarik and Economic Development Director Ellen Dean have been collaborating on the idea of getting Urban Land Institute's expertise in jump-starting East Grand Avenue, a longtime village issue. Kovarik said the $15,000 would be an economical way to receive significant expertise.

“We're hoping we'll be selected,” Kovarik said. “We'll certainly put a good business case together.”

East Grand Avenue is a mishmash of empty storefronts, nonstandard sign heights and overhead power lines — a contrast to the busy thoroughfare's more thriving section west of the Tri-State Tollway,

Ideas on how to boost East Grand date to at least 1999, when a village planning consultant recommended burying power lines there. In 2000, the village board approved a three-point improvement plan that never came to fruition.

Dean said during a presentation to the village board there is much potential in the East Grand corridor. For example, she said, about 2,000 residents live within a five-minute walk.

“The reasons to be looking at (redevelopment) are partly financial and partly not,” Dean said. “To some extent, it's just the right thing to do.”

Dean said East Grand corridor businesses typically account for 3 percent of village sales tax.

East Grand Avenue is an issue that long has been a part of Gurnee village board races. One trustee candidate in 2007, Bob Kofler, suggested bulldozing all of the corridor's buildings east of Route 41 and replacing them with restaurants.

Urban Land Institute would bring a panel of experts into Gurnee for two days as part of a process to generate ideas on upgrading East Grand.

Gurnee looks for ways to boost Old Grand Avenue

Look for redevelopment to revitalize Gurnee, official says

Gurnee hired Urban Land Institute to help come up with plan to revitalize East Grand Avenue in February 2016.
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