Restaurants, gathering spaces among keys to revitalizing downtown Des Plaines, consultants say

As Arlington Heights, Park Ridge and other suburbs already have experienced, more restaurants and additional apartment buildings or condominiums could help revitalize downtown Des Plaines, consultants told city officials this week.

But boosting the population and giving those residents more places to eat isn’t enough to give the downtown district an economic boost, the experts said. Other types of attractions are needed to draw folks downtown, such as community events, open gathering spaces and public art.

“Part of that is bringing dining, of course, but also experiences,” said Terri Haymaker of the Chicago-based Planera Group.

Haymaker was among the urban planners who discussed strategies for improving downtown Des Plaines during a roughly two-hour workshop Monday with city officials. A video recording of the discussion is available at desplainesil.gov.

Haymaker proposed five goals: expanding destination and dining experiences; energizing and modernizing the downtown; creating a sense of place there; providing additional housing; and enhancing the downtown experience.

She suggested merchants could create experiences for visitors by teaming up to create packages of activities that could lure people to the area for longer time periods.

Officials can create a sense of place downtown by holding outdoor events, creating public gathering spaces and adding aesthetic elements that help people enjoy a walk through the area, Haymaker said. Adding signs that direct people to parking areas and other destinations could enhance the downtown experience, too, she said.

Additionally, Haymaker said the city should encourage more multifamily, residential real-estate development in the area because the residents would be natural customers for downtown businesses.

“It’s like a chicken and egg,” she said. “The more people you bring downtown, the more retail that will follow the people that are moving downtown.”

Haymaker praised officials for staging public events downtown. Now they should create a regular schedule of more frequent events so people will automatically think of heading downtown for activities, she said.

Scott Goldstein of Evanston-based Teska Associates suggested expanding Library Plaza on Ellinwood Street for public events and widening the sidewalk there to make room for cafe-style seating. Brick crosswalks and public murals — perhaps painted by local artists, community groups or students — could liven up the downtown, too, he said.

“The great thing about paint is, if you don’t like it you can do it again,” Goldstein said.

Noting the city already offers grants and other financial incentives to attract new businesses or encourage improvements at existing ones, Haymaker recommended creating a specific incentive category for downtown restaurants. She also suggested incentives for redevelopment projects that would cost the developer or business owner between $1 million and $5 million.

Goldstein followed up by advising officials especially try to encourage private redevelopment of specific buildings, including the Leela Arts Center building on the northwest corner of Miner and Lee streets and an office building on the 1500 block of Ellinwood Street.

Mayor Andrew Goczkowski called the presentation “very thorough.” But 4th Ward Alderman Dick Sayad didn’t sound impressed, saying people already know more restaurants could boost activity downtown. He also cited the lengthy timetable buying and renovating properties requires.

In contrast, Third Ward Alderman Sean Oskerka noted some of the suggested projects, like moving parking spaces to make way for outdoor seating areas, “are simple and easy and don’t cost a lot of money.”

More than a dozen Des Plaines residents shared a mix of critical and complimentary opinions about the downtown area and the consultants’ suggestions, too.

The city council hired consulting firms last year to shape a downtown strategic plan. Their work was expected to cost the city about $86,000.

A draft report from the consultants should be posted on desplainesil.gov by Feb. 26, a city spokesperson said. The city council could formally consider the report at its March 3 meeting.