At tonight’s Town Council meeting another Uptown Normal phase is on the agenda. This time it’s Uptown South. Meanwhile some citizens, like Doug Fansler, are upset over a massive gulley that has yet to be filled. The Town has placed hazardous signage near the gulley.
Photo courtesy Doug Fansler
Cathy Oloffson said the Town is aware and this is scheduled to be addressed this Spring, it is not on the agenda tonight, May 2, 2022. But as far as tonight goes, staff is recommending approval of A Resolution Authorizing the Execution of an Agreement with Farr Associates Architecture & Urban Design P.C. for Master Planning Services Pertaining to Uptown South.
Farr worked on the original Uptown Normal plan and created the Uptown Normal Master Plan Update, “Uptown 2.0,” in 2015. Uptown 2.0 included Uptown South. Approval of this Resolution would allow Farr to precede with developing the Master Plan for Uptown South itself.
Since 2015 things have changed. There is now a near-final design of the underpass. Rivian has created a need for more housing. COVID-19 has changed the workplace resulting in more employees staying at home and less office space being needed, and more people shop online now resulting in a reduced need for retail space.
Uptown South is bounded by Union Pacific Railroad on the north, South Linden Street on the east, East Irving Street on the south and Broadway on the west.
Building is within Uptown South Boundary. Photo courtesy to Normal PD.
The Town of Normal issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) on Jan. 27. Three teams submitted proposals and all three were interviewed. Town staff found the Farr proposal to be strongest based on relevant experience.
Farr is based out of Chicago as are most of their subconsultants on the team; S.B. Friedman (Market Analysis), ECT (Landscape Architecture) and Sam Schwartz Engineering (Transportation Engineering). Farnsworth Group of Normal will provide services regarding infrastructure.
Work on the master plan project would begin immediately and is scheduled to be completed in Jan. 2023. The proposal includes an extensive public involvement process. More about that along with further details on other aspects of the project can be found online. The proposal is included in the Council Report provided to the Town Council.
While Normal staff strongly supports further Uptown development many are not supportive of the town’s plans. Town Councilmember Stan Nord has been consistently critical of further Uptown development. Cities 92.9 reached out to Nord and this is what he had to say.
“Uptown has failed to deliver on its promises. If this passes Uptown will continue to be the priority and road maintenance will continue to be neglected for another 20 years. It will get more costly to live in Normal and residents will take Town Staff’s lead and live elsewhere,” said Nord.
Diane Benjamin of BLN News has also often been critical of Uptown development. We contacted her regarding this story and she said the following.
“They want a new library which means they’ll want a new police station too. Parking is supposed to be south of the tracks since there isn’t enough now. … Nobody wants to park south of the tracks to get to a store in uptown. Normal is trying to control capitalism and failing,” said Benjamin.
Photo courtesy to Town of Normal
The Uptown South area includes an eight acre parcel that is currently home to the Normal Police Station and includes the old Normal City Hall building now referred to as the annex. Uptown 2.0 called for a four to six story 500,000 square feet development where people could “live, work, shop and play.”
It remains to be seen what type of development plans will emerge from the new Uptown South Master Plan. Residents of Normal and the Bloomington-Normal region are encouraged to participate in the process. The Normal Town Council meets tonight at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall located at 11 Uptown Circle on the fifth floor.
