Shaky start for Mount Prospect's Block 56 redevelopment
Mount Prospect's redevelopment of Block 56, the downtown area that includes the soon-to-be-relocated police and fire headquarters, is off to a shaky start, as a result of what the mayor called clumsy communication between the village and business owners.
At a village board workshop meeting Tuesday, a property owner on the block said recent moves by village officials have been sowing panic among tenants about their future.
"Our renters are scared, not sleeping at night and will probably move," said Ed Busse, who manages the company that owns the Busse's Flowers & Gifts building at 100 E. Northwest Highway.
Village officials last week announced they would be seeking redevelopment proposals for what they're calling Block 56, the area bounded by Northwest Highway, Maple Street, Busse Avenue and Emerson Street. The area includes the current police and fire headquarters, as well as three lots that include Busse's Flowers and Emerson's Ale House.
Village Manager Michael Cassady said Community Development Director William Cooney visited tenants and property owners on the block to make them aware of the plans.
"We were careful, saying there is no developer on board. We don't have a set vision at all. But we wanted to see what this block could be," Cassady said.
Cooney said his intent was to put everyone at ease, but Busse claims the visits had the opposite effect. He said his tenants were told the village plans to relocate them and help with the moving costs.
Mayor Arlene Juracek acknowledged there was "some clumsiness in the conversation."
"There is no intent to kick anybody out right now, tearing buildings down or relocate," she added. "We're just testing the waters at this point."
Trustee Paul Hoefert was critical of village staff for visiting the business owners without first informing the village board.
"This is the first time the board's really talking about this. And I think staff got a little ahead of itself," he said.
As a result of the criticisms, officials said Tuesday they would remove the properties that include the flower shop and Emerson's from the request for proposals, instead focusing it on the police and fire headquarters site.
"Let's put that behind us and let's go forward as a team, here, to see what we can do to benefit all of us, all of the stakeholders," Juracek said.