Elgin hopefuls differ on downtown's course

Candidates for Elgin City Council have a variety of viewpoints when it comes to revitalizing the downtown.

One prefers the term "investments" for city-offered incentives. Another says Elgin's "build it and they will come" approach was wrong because the neighborhoods around it aren't safe. Another disputed whether the city has a "downtown" because hardly anyone lives there and storefronts are empty.

Ten people are seeking three, 4-year seats on the Elgin City Council on April 7. Four others are vying for a single 2-year term.

Who is elected next month can have an influence on how the city approaches or continues with downtown redevelopment.

Incumbents Robert Gilliam, Juan Figueroa and John Walters are seeking re-election to another four years. Their challengers are: Richard Dunne, Brenda Harris Khan, Shane Nowak, John Prigge, Linda Quezada, Lenora Scruggs and Bruce Trego.

Over the years, the city has pumped tens of millions into downtown.

Officials have formed special taxing districts to pay for roads, better sidewalks and decorative planters. The city also offers a buffet of incentive programs for new businesses, ranging from facade improvement grants to money to cover the cost of a new grease trap.

Gilliam said the city's efforts have been hurt by the recession, especially getting people to buy condos and row homes there.

"The philosophy is if people live downtown, businesses will follow," Gilliam said. "You call these incentives. I call them investments because it's a joint combination of the private sector and public sector getting together, and they both benefit from development."

Walters also said a nearby population willing to spend money downtown is a key to its success.

"Right now, it's a hole in the city," Walters said. "Unless we are able to get a reasonable population down there - which I think will happen eventually - I don't see that there's a lot of immediate hope for what's going to happen downtown."

Dunne believes downtown is primed and ready for a comeback but says people have a perception that the parking decks are not safe. He said the city should continue with its multiyear infrastructure plan, but should re-evaluate downtown spending levels when the plan is done.

Nowak said the city has it backward. The city needs to clean up gangs and crime because people won't live, shop or dine there if they don't feel safe.

"The image problem is the city's biggest problem," he said, adding the city needs to utilize the Hemmens Cultural Center more.

"To say, 'If they build it they will come' ... It's not the 'Field of Dreams.' This isn't Hollywood."

Prigge believes the biggest obstacle is how people view the city, and by extension, the downtown.

"What is killing Elgin in my belief is its reputation, right or wrong," he said. "The perception is safety and that perception has to be changed."

Figueroa said Elgin is safe when compared to other towns with populations more than 100,000 because they have higher crime rates.

"It is a misconception that we're trying to fight every time because Elgin is a safe community," he said. "Downtown has been one of the positive elements to change the perception of Elgin."

Scruggs said the city needs to do more to encourage development and new businesses.

"The downtown has no downtown," she said. "You have three sets of condos that are half empty, which is unbelievable to me and now you may have even more stores closing up there."

Quezada said the key to improving downtown is landing a major retailer and improving areas around the downtown.

"We need to clean up the surrounding neighborhoods," she said.

Trego said city leaders have to realize the downtown will never again be the regional shopping center it was in the 1950s and 1960s. He said a greater diversity of housing is needed other than the row houses and condominiums.

"Our focus is too narrow for the downtown, too upscale," he said. "The (river) boat gave us a lot of money, but it didn't give us any development."

Khan said she has a "hazy idea" of what to do to improve downtown; one or two large employers or businesses would help.