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TO: Mayor Thomas J. Weisner
FROM: John Russell, Grant Writer
DATE: March 1, 2016
SUBJECT:
The City is seeking to apply for a grant from the Kane County Grand Victoria Riverboat Fund to purchase and install long strings of commercial grade, artistic lighting from building-to-building across the Water Street Mall.
PURPOSE:
The City of Aurora and Aurora Downtown, made up of approximately 250 downtown property owners, are collaborating on a project to light up the Water Street Mall. The lighting project will make the Mall brighter, more lively and more welcoming - as well as safer - for the hundreds of thousands of people who visit downtown Aurora each year, and the growing number of downtown residents. Making downtown feel more welcome and safer will provide an economic boost for the City by inspiring visitors to stay downtown longer and patronize the many downtown shops, restaurants and entertainment venues. Economic Development is one of the three priorities in the Grand Victoria Riverboat Fund program, and the Water Street Mall lighting project aligns with this objective. The Riverboat Fund grant guidelines require City Council approval to apply for the grant program.
The City Special Events Division, which is spearheading the project, estimates more than 1,000 LED lights will shine down on the Water Street Mall, strung at roof-top level along the 380-foot length of the Mall -- providing much-needed lighting and a dazzling look. The lights will be on a timer, coming on at dusk every evening year-round.
BACKGROUND:
The idea for the Water Street Mall lighting project grew out of a meeting of City officials and representatives of Aurora Downtown and InvestAurora. With the 300,000 patrons of the Paramount Theatre and Copley Theater, the 100,000 patrons at RiverEdge Park, and the thousands of other patrons at Riverfront Playhouse, Culture Stock, and activities on the Mall (and at City Hall), there are thousands of evening and late night visitors who walk through downtown Aurora every day. A cost estimate the City has received from an electrical contractor put the price tag at about $32,700 for the project. Aurora Downtown has agreed to contribute $7,000 toward the work, and the Special Events Division has budgeted $3,000 -- for a total local contribution of about 30%. We are asking the Grand Victoria Riverboat Fund for a grant of $22,700.
DISCUSSION:
Downtown Aurora is on the rebound, with a new vibrancy coming from our growing downtown arts community. Besides the thousands of visitors attending attractions at the Paramount Theatre or RiverEdge Park, there are more and more activities taking place on the Water Street Mall itself each year. The City’s holiday parades pass along the Mall, and such evening activities as Shakespeare on the Mall performances, art shows, First Friday celebrations, entertainment activities at Culture Stock, and plays year-round at Riverfront Playhouse draw people with all kinds of cultural interests to the Mall.
There are City parking lots both north and south of the Water Street Mall. Patrons of the Paramount Theatre, Copley Theater and concerts and festivals at RiverEdge Park who park in those lots use the Water Street Mall as a route to get to hundreds of nighttime shows.
No official bids have been sought for the project. Our unofficial, estimated cost is from an electrical contractor the City has worked with in the past. If the grant is awarded, we would go through the bid process for the project.
The Revenue Account Number for Special Events is 101-1341-337.30-10. The Expense Account Number is 101-1341-450.50-99
IMPACT STATEMENT:
Besides lighting up the Water Street Mall for visitors to downtown, this project also would make downtown more homey for the people who actually live there. More than 1,900 people called downtown Aurora home in 2015. And the new apartment renovation projects under way along Stolp Avenue and elsewhere will greatly increase that number in coming years.
Aurora Downtown and City departments will work together toward upkeep and maintenance of the Water Street Mall lights..
RECOMMENDATIONS:
I request approval for the City to apply for Kane County Grand Victoria Riverboat Fund grant assistance for our project to Shine a Light on the Water Street Mall.
cc: Alderman O’Connor, Chairman
Alderman Mervine
Alderman Bohman
Alderman Mesiacos, Alternate
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
title
A Resolution Authorizing the City to apply for and accept a Kane County Grand Victoria Riverboat Fund grant for a project to light up the Water Street Mall.
body
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, Aurora is seeing a boom in the number of visitors to the downtown area because of the growing popularity of productions at the Paramount Theatre, Copley Theater and RiverEdge Park, as well as the number of shops, restaurants and other artistic venues downtown; and
WHEREAS, the downtown area also is seeing a population boom, with 1,900 people living downtown in 2015 and more and more housing being created downtown in recent years; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora and Aurora Downtown have agreed to contribute a total of $10,000 toward the total estimated project cost of $32,700 to string lighting at rooftop level across the Water Street Mall, to make downtown residents and visitors feel more welcome and safer, and inspire them to spend more time downtown and patronize downtown's many shops; and
WHEREAS, if the grant is awarded, the City agrees to accept the grant funds and provide funding in the amount of $10,000 to complete the project. The Revenue Account Number for Special Events is 101-1341-337.30-10. The Expense Account Number is 101-1341-450.50-99.)
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows: that the City of Aurora is authorized to apply for and accept Kane County Grand Victoria Riverboat Fund grant in the amount of $22,700 for purchase and installation of commercial-grade lighting to be installed at rooftop level along the buildings on the Water Street Mall.