Economic Development & Neighborhood Renewal

COMMISSION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND NEIGHBORHOOD RENEWAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING SUMMARY Thursday, October 5, 2017 Persons in Attendance: Executive Committee: Mayor Andrew Przybylo – Ex-Officio Denise M. McCreery - Trustee Charles Ostman – Executive Director Ross Klicker – Associate Executive Director Steven Vinezeano – Village Manager Mike Shields Joe Bialko Iwona Filipiak Persons Present: Rich Mangold Rich Wlodarski Katie Schneider I. Call to Order Meeting was called to order at approximately 6:05pm. II. Approval of Minutes Minutes of the April 13, 2017 Executive Committee Meeting were unanimously approved. III.Façade Grant Application 6959 N. Milwaukee Ross Klicker introduced the application and the petitioner’s plans for improving the façade at this location. The plan will return this property to a traditional store front configuration with a new entrance created at the corner of Milwaukee and Harts. The improvements will be part of an over $2 Million improvement plan for this parcel. Once completer the petitioner will operate a face brick manufacturing and sales and a donut shop. The petitioner further talked about their desire to locate their face brick business at this location due to the number of home improvement businesses already located in this area. This will further strengthen the Home Design & Improvement District that was proposed by the EDNR Sub-Committee on South Milwaukee improvement. After some brief discussion a motion was made by Steve Vinezeano seconded by Joe Bialko to approve a façade grant in the Maximum amount of $5,000. This motion was unanimously approved. IV. Façade Grant Application 8101 N. Milwaukee Ross Klicker introduced the application and stated that the building currently has a modern looking façade which is what the petitioner wants to have as an image for their business. Therefore, there are not major changes proposed to the building façade, but they will be replacing and improving the signage and doing some minor landscaping improvements. Additionally Ross stated that some LED lighting that was proposed for the windows is not permitted per the Municipal Code and would then need to be removed from the application. The petitioner then told about their business plan to operate a modern hair salon and spa and that they were looking for a modern looking building that would present the image they are trying to convey to their clients. The majority of the work is being done on the interior. Additionally they stated their desire to locate this facility in this location due to the fact that both of the petitioners grew up in Niles and chose to not only live but give back to the community through operating their business at this location. Denise McCreery then asked the petitioner about their improvement plan s and how it is really just a new sign being placed on the building. The petitioner agreed that the exterior improvements would be minor in the beginning but stated that as they establish the business and continue to grow they would continue to make exterior improvements such as adding a water feature to the exterior. After some additional questioning they did mention the LED lighting that was proposed and how it was intended to change the look for the façade. After a further explanation of how the LED lighting would be installed in utilized it was actually determined that this would be allowable and could therefore be counted toward the façade grant application. Denise McCreery then made a request that the petitioner look at making some additional improvements to the entrance awning when they are able to undertake this improvements financially. With that agreement she made a motion that was seconded by Iwona Filipiak to approve a façade grant in the Maximum amount of $5,000. This motion was unanimously approved. V. Agenda Items for next EDNR The discussion for this item was tabled VI. Other Business Chuck Ostman made a proposal that the EDNR and the Executive Committee be scheduled on a regular basis such as every other month on the first Thursday of the month with an agenda being sent out a week in advance so that members can prepare and schedule to attend these meetings. After some discussion and further suggestions as to what should be on the agenda it was decided that meetings of the Executive Committee of the EDNR shall be every other month and furthermore direction was given to staff to include a “Share an Idea” item on the agenda where all members would go around the table and share an idea as to what they are either working on or a suggestion of a project they believe the EDNR could undertake. Additionally direction was given to “mine the Departments” for updates on programs and activities they are undertaking that might be of interest to the EDNR or items that the EDNR may be able to make suggestions to for improvement. With that stated the next meeting date of the Executive Committee of the EDNR was set at November 2, 2017. VI. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 7:15pm.