2010-2014 Consolidated Plan - City of Champaign

south to the Campustown spine, Green Street. It is adjacent to two low-income neighborhoods;however, the lack of pedestrian amenities and the wide mix of uses prevent the East Side area frombeing well utilized by the surrounding residents.The East Side is a mixed-use area which includes commercial retail, service, student apartments, singlefamilyhousing, and an abundance of automotive uses such as mechanics and auto body repair. It alsocontains a number of warehouse buildings, which are not helpful to the business mix. Needs in the EastSide (excluding the North First Street area described above) include infrastructure improvements, buildingrepairs, and property upgrades.The East Side area includes a number of different subareas that need varying types of improvements.The westernmost part of the district is the oldest commercial area in the City, and part of the Downtownneighborhood. Streetscape improvements including new lighting are in progress for this area. TheRedevelopment Incentive Program described under “Downtown” also applies to the East Side and isfunded through its Tax Increment Financing District. The recently completed flood mitigation efforts havegreatly enhanced the development potential of the East Side area. The Marquette School property mayprovide a larger retail development opportunity for the area.Beardsley Park Neighborhood Improvement PlanThe Beardsley Park Plan was adopted in 1995 as a strategy to help revitalize the neighborhood. The plancalls for the clearance and redevelopment of three subareas located in the Beardsley Park Neighborhood.The Plan originally called for relocation of a parking lot used by an area business (Herff Jones - Cap &Gown Division) and the development of new single-family housing in the neighborhood. The plan wasamended in December 2000 to incorporate some land use changes and accommodate additionalBoneyard detention needs in the area. The clearance of subarea one has been completed and plans forits reuse are being developed.Plans for the commercial development of subarea two are currently on hold pending the revision of thefloodway maps. Due to the City improvement of the Boneyard channel, the amount of area needed forthe floodway in subarea two was reduced. This channel reduction would allow more of the land to beredeveloped as a neighborhood commercial use. Across the street from this subarea, Family Dollarlocated a new store serving both the Beardsley Park neighborhood residents as well as those living northof the area.Funding for completion of Plan implementation has been set aside under the City’s Urban Renewal Fund.Job Creation/Business RetentionThe City of Champaign works with the local Economic Development Corporation (EDC) in their efforts tocreate and retain jobs in the community. In order to pursue the creation of new job opportunities in thearea, the City/EDC primarily target high tech and industrial companies. The EDC receives leads from thestate, University of Illinois, or a site consultant, and informs the City who in turn provides the companywith requested information (through the EDC) and participates in site visits.To retain and expand existing businesses, the City participates in the EDC business visitation program toensure that local employers have the resources necessary to prosper and/or expand locally. The City/EDCuses this program to identify any barriers to growth and coordinate a response to assist the company inovercoming the issue.Needs Assessment: Non-Housing Community Development 61