[August 19, 2007] Timeline: Recent downtown Bloomington history Tweet (The Pantagraph (Bloomington, IL) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Aug. 19--1986 -- Downtown Bloomington was formed into a TIF district in response to a severe economic downturn. The designation meant that any growth in sales and property taxes -- the so-called increment -- could be used for projects within the district. The downtown district is bordered roughly by Locust Street on the north, the Conrail railroad tracks on the south, Prairie Street on the east and Roosevelt Avenue on the west. Its status expires in 2009. Summer 1988 -- Renovation work begins on the Heritage Enterprises buildings on the north side of the courthouse square. The $2.2 million project, including $300,000 in TIF money and completed the following year, is generally thought to be the cornerstone of the modern downtown renovation movement. October 1990 -- A controversial plan to give developer Jack Snyder a $6 million city subsidy to raze the south block of the courthouse square and construct a four-story office-retail complex fails a close City Council vote. August 1991 -- A University of Illinois task force surveys downtown tenants and owners. The top three needs of the area, according to respondents, are specialty shops, restaurants and entertainment. Nearly four in 10 respondents want fewer taverns. April 1992 -- The 94-page U of I report recommends creating a downtown development authority to coordinate revitalization and a "special assessment area" to collect money from downtown property owners to supplement revitalization efforts. March 1993 -- The Downtown Task Force, a group of volunteers chaired by current Mayor Steve Stockton, issues a nearly 100-page report saying more than public money is needed to revitalize the area. The group advocates more residential, retail and entertainment uses to trigger redevelopment, and creating a special taxing district. September 1993 -- City Council agrees to give businessman Bou Chu $700,000 in TIF money toward a $2 million renovation of the former Livingston department store, 110 W. Washington St., on the south block. Chu gets the building and completes a nightclub and restaurant before leaving town without notice in 1998. December 1994 -- Downtown developer Fred Wollrab receives $1 million in city money to redevelop the six-story Livingston office building, 102 W. Washington St., and two other adjacent structures on the south block. The $2.4 million plan completes renovation of the once-dormant south block. November 1996 -- The Downtown Bloomington Association is formed, with dues set at $20 annually. May 1997 -- The city considers, and later rejects, a temporary ban on new liquor licenses downtown after complaints about downtown bars by residents and business owners. November 1997 -- After being given a $75,000 contract to study downtown's future, the initial report of Chicago-based Camiros Ltd. calls the area "barren and uninviting." However, the report also praises downtown's historic architecture and gives little weight to perceptions of parking problems. December 1998 -- The final Camiros Ltd. report recommends $7.5 million in downtown improvements, including $6.3 million in beautification, five years' of salary for a downtown manager and a $650,000 festival site at the McLean County Law and Justice Center. The plan also suggests eliminating most one-way streets and pursuing national chains stores such as Crate & Barrel, The Gap and The Limited as anchor tenants. May 1999 -- Mayor Judy Markowitz forms the Uniquely Bloomington Downtown Commission to help oversee downtown development. Former State Farm executive Mike McNeil becomes its first executive director. December 1999 -- Local groups including the McLean County Chamber of Commerce, city of Bloomington, Bloomington-Normal Airport Authority and the Peoria Rivermen hockey organization announce a $30,000 feasibility study of whether a 7,000-seat arena could work in the Twin Cities. The groups want ice hockey, arena football, concerts and family entertainment at the venue. September 2000 -- City Council endorses a $14.4 million cultural district plan that would include renovating the Scottish Rite Temple, a new art-education facility, a new park area and a new parking deck. The city also boosts its sales tax rate from 7.25 percent to 7.5 percent to pay for the projects. June 2001 -- Developer Ben Slotky pays a Peoria family $200,000 for the Castle Theater, 209 E. Washington St. He later receives $385,000 in city grants for a $1.17 million renovation of the six-story theater, built in 1916. May 2003 -- Castle Theater opens with a showing of "A Mighty Wind." September 2003 -- Businessman Ward Waller announces plans to purchase the vacant Ensenberger Building and convert the seven-story building into owner-occupied homes and retail space. To see more of The Pantagraph, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.pantagraph.com. Copyright (c) 2007, The Pantagraph, Bloomington, Ill. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]