The Friends of the Civic Center organization is kicking off a petition drive this week to place an advisory referendum on the April election ballot encouraging the City Council to keep the headquarters of Evanston city government right where it is.
Posted inBusiness, Government, Real Estate
West side Civic Center proposed
Some Evanston residents hope to persuade city officials to build a new Civic Center on the west side — possibly on the former Robinson bus property on the south side of Emerson Street west of Ashland Avenue. The Robinson property, looking north toward Emerson Street. The residents plan to meet at 3 p.m. Thursday at […]
Posted inEducation
D65 settles bilingual placement issues
After more than a dozen hours of discussion and community input, the District 65 School Board made decisions for the long-term placement of the two-way immersion bilingual education program Monday night.
Posted inBusiness
City refinances, cuts debt payments
Much like a homeowner refinancing a mortgage to get a lower interest rate, the city Monday refinanced $14.4 million in general obligation bonds. City Finance Director Matthew Grady said the transaction will save the city $750,000 in interest over the life of the new bonds.
Posted inBusiness, Real Estate
Construction work edges up
The value of new construction projects started in Evanston in October edged up to $14.9 million from $13.2 million in September. But overall, a city report shows construction work is still down 26 percent for the fiscal year that started in March compared to the same period a year earlier.
Posted inGovernment, Real Estate
Planners eye Dobson-Ridge condos
Neighbors will get a chance next month to tell the Plan Commission what they think of a developer’s proposal to build a five-story, 33-unit condominium building at the corner of Dobson Street and Ridge Aveue.
Posted inGovernment
City gets debt warning
One bond rating service issued a warning about Evanston’s debt rating outlook Friday as the city prepared to sell $14.5 million in general obligation bonds on Monday. The Chicago Tribune reports that Moody’s Investors Service maintained the city’s triple-A bond rating but lowered the outlook from stable to negative — which means the firm believes […]
Posted inBusiness, Government, Real Estate
Aldermen: Speed up downtown planning
Three aldermen say Evanston’s downtown planning process is moving too slowly. At Thursday night’s Economic Development Committee meeting, Alderman Edmund Moran, 6th Ward, said he found Tuesday’s public meeting held by the Plan Commission’s Downtown Plan Committee disappointing. “They’re talking about transition zones, but on the north end of downtown we’ve now just about lost […]
Posted inBusiness
Fewer properties change hands
The number of property sales in Evanston is running nearly 6 percent below year-ago levels, and it’s down nearly 19 percent from two years ago.
Posted inBusiness
School board holds bilingual ed forum
More than two dozen parents offered views to the District 65 School Board on the two-way immersion bilingual program at a public forum Monday night. Willard or Kingsley?The Board heard from many Willard School parents. Mary Skinner said she and her husband, a native of Mexico, moved to Evanston because of its diversity and closing […]
Posted inEntertainment, Government, Public Safety
Artist presents painting to city
Three Evanston police officers are featured on the fourth and last in a series of painting presented to the City of Evanston by nationally recognized artist and Evanston resident Richard Halstead.
Posted inBusiness, Government, Real Estate
Shopping center on Oakton OK’d
Evanston aldermen gave final approval Monday to plans for a shopping center at 2424 Oakton Ave. after writing into the ordinance provisions to limit the type of 24-hour fast-food restaurant that could be included on the property.
Posted inBusiness, Government, Real Estate
Aldermen deadlock on new housing tax
Evanston aldermen split 4-4 Monday on a measure that would raise its recently adopted tax on new condo developments from an average of $4,000 to as much as $8,560 per unit. The tax is framed as an expense to be borne by condominium and townhouse developers to subsidize affordable housing programs, but depending on market forces, some or […]
Posted inBusiness
Site wins moratorium exemption
City Council voted Monday to exempt one area from a two-month extension of its west side building moratorium.
Posted inBusiness, Government
Cable guys hike rates
“They’re pirates! It’s just terrible,” Alderman Ann Rainey, 8th Ward, said Monday of Comcast’s announcement that it will raise cable television rates in Evanston about 7 percent next month.
Posted inBusiness
New vendor to trim electric rate boost
Faced with a forecast doubling of the city’s electric bill once the ComEd rate freeze ends next month, Evanston aldermen Monday voted to buy electric service from Constellation NewEnergy instead. The city expects to save more than $700,000 over the next 17 months by making the switch — but it will still see its electricity […]