September/October News Roundup: Taking care of business
The Peoria Heights Village Board took care of a number of housekeeping issues over the last month. Among them:
The Board approved a redevelopment agreement that will reimburse the future W.E. Sullivan’s Irish Pub up to $10,000 for costs incurred at their new location, 4319 N. Prospect Road.
Those dollars will be provided to owners Billy and Lauren Blasek through the Village’s Business Development District (BDD) program, an economic development initiative that is funded through a 1 percent sales tax on purchases in the Village’s two BDD zones.
The new Sullivan’s is in the midst of a major renovation, with hopes of opening around Thanksgiving.
The Board approved a site plan for a parking lot being developed by Dave and Laurie Williams at 4712 N. Prospect Road, which is in the Central Business District.
A parking lot exists there now, but it is being expanded with the consolidation of two parcels after a house on one of them was torn down.
The Board accepted a bid for $99,500 from Laser Electric for streetlights on Glen Avenue in front the Pearl Insurance property. The project is part of a redevelopment agreement with Pearl where the Village and the company agreed to split some of the public infrastructure costs including the burial of power lines to accommodate Pearl’s nearly $7 million expansion and renovation. The work will start at the intersection of Prospect and Glen and proceed about three blocks to the west.
The Board approved a contract with Kreiling Roofing to replace the cedar shake shingles on Village Hall along with some other roof work for $183,168. The current roof at Village Hall is some 50 years old.
The Board also okayed a contract with Western Specialty Contractors for $62,305 for roof work at the Peoria Heights Police Department, 1311 E. Sciota Ave.
Both projects come with 20-year warranties.
The Board approved a contract for $34,425 with National Wash Authority/Midwest Mobile Washers of Morrison, Ill. for power washing of the Village’s three outdoor water storage tanks on Toledo, Galena Road and at Tower Park.
The contractor uses an environmentally friendly bleach solution to clean the tanks. “It’ll be like night and day” in terms of the appearance of the tanks, said Trustee Teresa Symmonds.
Mayor Matt Wigginton provided an update on the planned Illinois Route 29 reconstruction, with groundbreaking now anticipated for late 2027 on the $80 million-plus project.
Public input studies and other conversations regarding the project have indicated a desire for pedestrian crosswalks, a bluff-side hiking and biking trail that ultimately will be extended to Chillicothe, and a Sweetwater-type restaurant in that corridor, said Wigginton.
The Village Board set aside the dates Nov. 27-29 for the Peoria Heights Chamber of Commerce’s annual Kris Kringle Market at Tower Park. The event is a highlight of the holiday calendar and is always accompanied by a visit from Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus and the countdown lighting of the Christmas tree.