Glen Ellyn's downtown strategic plan moves ahead

Consultants drafting a strategic plan for downtown Glen Ellyn will publicly showcase two conceptual plans in the coming weeks.

Residents will be able to provide feedback on both plans during an open house from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Nov. 3 at the village's Civic Center, 535 Duane St., Glen Ellyn. The consultants from Town Builder Studios also will give a brief presentation at 7 p.m.

"The main purpose of the open house is really to present the plans to the public and get feedback from them on the two concept plans that have been developed," said Michele Stegall, Glen Ellyn's planner.

From Nov. 3-12, residents also will able to provide feedback online by visiting the village's Web site at glenellyn.org.

Town Builder Studios then will take all the comments and create a preferred plan, which will either be a fusion of both plans or the most favored plan.

The downtown advisory committee is expected to view the preferred plan on Nov. 20. Another open house for residents will be held on Dec. 9.

"Overall, I think the Town Builder Studios team has done a great job, and added a number of additional public forums and meetings," Stegall said. "We think things are going well."

In February, Glen Ellyn's village board voted to have Town Builder Studios conduct a study for $100,000. The study highlights areas the village needs to focus on, including historic preservation, parking, retail and economic analysis.

Officials expect Town Builder Studios to finalize the strategic plan by early 2008.

Once completed, village officials will review possible ways to implement the plan, recommendations, costs and funding methods.

"It's a tight schedule," Stegall said, "but I think we're going to be able to keep it."

If you go

What: Downtown strategic plan open house

When: 6:30 to 9 p.m. Nov. 3

Where: Glen Ellyn Civic Center, 535 Duane St., Glen Ellyn

Details: Call the village at (630) 469-5000.