Glen Ellyn mulls how to handle downtown construction zones

Downtown Glen Ellyn's roads have gone largely untouched for almost two decades.

The “streetscape,” all the major cosmetic elements, hasn't been updated even longer, for some 30 years.

“The time is coming for that work to be done as soon as possible,” said Bob Minix, the village's engineer.

But determining how to schedule the work will be a challenge, with trustees leery of more disruptions to the central business district. Two possible developments could bring construction zones — and the headaches — blocks apart.

“What is going to be our tolerance level for that?” Minix asked the village board recently. “What is the best approach to doing those things in addition to other initiatives?”

As part of budget discussions in October, the village likely will revisit a tentative $4.5 million plan to beautify the downtown and make it more pedestrian-friendly.

Roads would be resurfaced, sidewalks would be replaced and trees would be replanted if the village pursues a list of recommendations by an advisory commission.

But before that work would get underway in 2017, a separate, below-ground project would have to be completed in 2016, Minix said.

That would focus on fixes to the sanitary sewer system and cost an additional $1 million to $2 million, though that's a rough estimate, officials say.

The village, meanwhile, also must factor in a $33 million proposal to redevelop the former Giesche Shoes property.

Developers only have presented conceptual plans for a building with about 100 apartments on top of just more than 9,000 square of retail space on the northwest corner of Main Street and Hillside Avenue, Village Manager Mark Franz said.

As part of the proposal, the village would kick in about $4 million to $5 million in tax increment financing dollars to build a parking garage on parking lots owned by the village and St. Petronille Parish.

A few blocks away, another developer is in talks to buy the former McChesney & Miller grocery store, Franz said.

With all that in mind, the village has to plan its own projects in a way that's “least impactful” to businesses and visitors, Village President Alex Demos said.

The village's capital improvements commission picked five intersections as focal points: Duane and Main streets; Main and Crescent Boulevard; Main and Pennsylvania Avenue; Crescent and Forest Avenue; and Crescent and Park Boulevard.

Resurfacing of roads alone would cost an estimated $3 million (the last road rehab was done in the late 1990s). The commission also has called for new, concrete sidewalks between intersections and a ribbon of brick pavers near the curbs, which would be also replaced along parts of Main Street and Crescent Boulevard.

And three crossings would be added downtown to allow pedestrians to cross the street mid-block.

The commission and the village's arborist studied trees “in great detail” on Main and Crescent, Minix said. The panel, in a memo to the board, said the “case could be made” to one, remove all the existing trees because of their declining condition and the likelihood of “significant stress with upcoming construction” and two, reforest the area with larger species.

To avoid the “same result,” Trustee Timothy Elliott said he would favor replacing trees if the village took steps to ensure they thrive. The commission suggested using tree grates, rather than curb openings, and irrigation systems.