Milwaukee Avenue Corridor Committee

Milwaukee Avenue Streetscape Committee MEETING SUMMARY Thursday, December 1, 2011 The following persons were present: Chair Chris Hanusiak, Chuck Ostman, Denise McCreery, Bob Pilat and Steve Vinezeano. Chair Hanusiak opened the meeting at 10:30 a.m. I. Approve Draft Meeting Summaries: a. The Committee approved the draft summary from Wednesday, October 20, 2011. II. Old Business: a. Anticipated Budget for Banner Maintenance. Bob Pilat discussed costs he had for private installers vs. Village costs per banner. He stated it is not prevailing wage. Pilat asked how many poles are to be considered and how many times the poles will be changed. There was brief discussion about the ongoing issue with the original installers who were going to use ladders. Denise asked about the banner that failed and is under a five year guarantee. She was concerned that the company may not fix it. The Chair believed that under the circumstances, the banner should be repaired since the cost of materials was paid in full. Bob will have the ripped banner sent to Denise. $25 to $35 per banner is about the cost. Competitive quotes will be needed. There was discussion about the number of poles vs. banners. Bob informed the Committee the following: Albion to Harts has 40 poles; Harts to Neva has 36 poles; Neva to Monroe (the scope area) has 76 poles; and Monroe to North boundaries has 108 poles for a total of 260 poles. It was discussed how the contractor in 2012 will put up the first 76 banners. There was discussion about the number of banners to be put up. Ostman mentioned that every other pole will be matched with a banner and that is only 38 banners. There was discussion about whether or not a change order can be made before the banners are put up and whether or not there could be a small savings. The Committee discussed the four banner styles and when each will be erected and removed.  Dine In will be put up September and October;   Shop will be put up November, December, January and February;  Discover will be put up March and April; and  Celebrate will be up May, June and July. There was discussion about a need to store the new banners properly (laid flat) in containers to prevent damage. There was discussion regarding the poles the banners are being erected on and the future brackets. Bob stated that he trying to resolve an issue regarding banners and how they may be overloading the poles based on the feedback he has received from some engineers. He mentioned that not all the poles are the same, but the rods that are used could reduce wind resistance by flexing with the wind. Bob will get information on both. The 76 banners (x4) are for Neva to Monroe and the contractor will put them up in this scope of work area. There was discussion of where the other banners will be erected. 38 banners may be placed in this area with 38 banners placed at a location to be determined at a later date by the Committee. The Committee did not like the idea of putting up a banner on each pole. They want to put up banners on every other pole. The Village can hang the other 38 banners if they choose. Bob stated that he worked with Andrew to identify all the poles. Chuck and Denise will work with Andrew to work out the location of additional banners. There was discussion about whether or not the Committee would like to see the same banner on all 260 poles or split by type of banner. There was discussion that there could be as many as three types of banners up during any given time. Intermixing the Best Place to Raise Kids was mentioned as an option. III. New Business: a. Notification of Milwaukee Avenue Businesses. There was concern voiced by the Chair that it was mentioned at the Mayor’s Luncheon that there will not be any disruptions. The Chair would like to have it mentioned at the January Board meeting after we have an opportunity to go to the January IDOT meeting that will discuss details about the project. There will be an opportunity to put out an article in the newsletter and the newspapers. b. ITEP IV Application. Bob Pilat stated that a new round is coming up for the ITEP program. February 2012 is when the application will be available with a September or October release date. It is an online application. He recommended keeping the project under a million dollars for a better chance to be awarded the grant. Vinezeano gave a quick history about ITEP I through ITEP III. ITEP I included a phase one engineering plan from Albion to Monroe. There was discussion about the grant application scope of work. Pilat and Vinezeano mentioned the possibility of showing progress by continuing with the northern movement to Golf Road. Vinezeano stated there were also issues with properties south of Monroe that would impact business parking since the parking is utilizing the right of way needed for the streetscape work. There was discussion about how we were awarded the first grant and those after. Vinezeano stated that having the Milwaukee Avenue Corridor Study (with PACE and RTA support) must have had a strong influence on the awarding of the first ITEP. This study and the ITEP I funds also helped to secure grant funding through Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky’s Office. In addition, the Arterial Rapid Transit project was also in play at CMAP. The Chair asked about submitting two grants and Bob recommended against it because it would be highly unlikely. The size of the grant makes a difference and could cause a grant not to be awarded. The funds must be shared with many other municipalities. Ostman mentioned that if he was to ask residents about the Milwaukee Ave. streetscape work, they would say, what streetscape, because there is nothing to be seen at eye level, but sidewalks. Vinezeano stated that the fences and plantings approved by the Milwaukee Avenue Committee can be seen at eye level. Pilat mentioned he notices the work at the intersection that has been done. Chuck stated that the street poles were painted black and not replaced with decorative poles. Vinezeano reminded everyone that the original Committee stated that it would be best to go from intersection to intersection and that only one intersection is done. The poles were not done because of limited funding and the fact that it was unsure if the project would be funded past ITEP I. Ostman asked when we plan to do more than the intersections. The discussion continued regarding doing more than the intersections and how many properties (shown by Vinezeano on a map) will be negatively impacted due to the use of the right of way by the businesses for parking. The Chair agreed that the Village needs to consider addressing these issues. Ostman stated that he would like to bring the issue up to the businesses that will be impacted because he is confident that they will support the idea. The Chair encouraged the Committee to move forward with getting the businesses in to get them on board with the improvements. Vinezeano mentioned that businesses were all involved in the planning process, so it is not the first time they saw it.  Chuck mentioned that Jeff Cardella (a past member of the Committee) will be improving his façade, but the area in front of his business look bad. He asked if anything north of Oakton will be done. There was discussion that façade improvements may be done by the building owners if the Village takes the lead and finishes streetscape improvements. The Committee decided to write the grant with the scope of work from Albion to the northern border with construction to be done north of Oakton to Monroe and Phase I planning to be done from Monroe to the northern border. If things must or can be done south of Oakton, then it may be easier to make it happen. There was brief discussion on the Jan Schakowsky business meeting at the Senior Center. Chuck discussed how he would go about conducting the breakfast meeting with the business owners and property owners. The Chair asked to have the Niles 2030 Plan available. He plans to have project boards available for the meeting. There was discussion about Rosati’s and the possibility of green space in the front of the building. There was discussion regarding the banners ordered by the Committee and how they have grommets at the bottom in the case the Chamber decides to sell business space. The Chair and Ostman thought there could be revenue made by the Chamber for the use of our banners to pay for installation. There was discussion of whether or not the Village should be making money from the banners or if it should be going back to the Chamber of Commerce. The Committee discussed how HR Green (Smith) became involved with the original project. It was mentioned that the Milwaukee Avenue Streetscape Committee chose to work with Smith since they were already doing work on Milwaukee south of the project. This allowed savings in the project. There was discussion that ITEP IV may be a chance to go to another engineering firm for the work. c. Long Term Planning for Albion to Monroe. This was discussed above. IV. Adjournment at 12:38 a.m. Next meeting TBD.