Wheeling wants to change rules on facade funds

Wheeling has decided that businesses wanting to put up a new sign will not necessarily be qualified for a village grant.

The town has had the facade improvement program in place in the various tax increment financing districts throughout Wheeling. Businesses in those districts can apply for money to partially pay for upgrades of their frontage.

The village board has recently been talking of not allowing applications solely for free-standing signs, since several trustees believe that doesn't qualify as improving the facade.

"I would really like to promote this thing as a facade improvement program," Trustee Dean Argiris said.

The board agreed on Monday that if a new sign is part of an overall improvement, that would be allowed.

Trustees Mike and Pat Horcher didn't agree with the rest of the board, saying that other businesses have already been given money to improve their signs.

Horcher added that the board ultimately has discretion over whether to give someone money to put up new signage.

However, the rest of the board agreed not to have the village staff bother allowing any sign requests through.

"The spirit of this thing was to let people upgrade their buildings," Trustee Ken Brady said. "Why should we pay for a smoking shelter?"

So far, the board has given $8,200 for canopy construction, $23,500 for a facade reconstruction and $6,000 each for two sign replacements.

The board, on Monday, also looked at a facade reconstruction for the Skokie TV shopping center, at 141 to 140 S. Milwaukee Ave.

"This is what it's supposed to do," Brady said of the proposed reconstruction, which would completely rehab the whole area.