IS DOWNTOWN BECOMING A RETAIL GHOST TOWN?

"Are we becoming a retail ghost town?" a resident asked, noting vacancies around town. Interestingly, two different approaches to strengthening "Main Street" are taking place on the North Shore.  In Wilmette, building on the momentum of its successful retail/restaurant corridor, the Wilmette Village Council recently voted down a special use permit for a dental office in the heart of downtown, citing areas of town specifically zoned for personal service establishments where a dental office is better suited. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-04-25/news/ct-wilmette-dental-office-tl-0501-20140424_1_wilm…  In Winnetka, the headline reads: Services, Not Retail, Pushed for Downtown Winnetka http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-04-20/news/ct-winnetka-downtown-study-tl-0424-20140420_1_bus… with a Council apparently inclined to eliminate most or all of the retail overlay zoning, which calls for retail on the ground floor in the core shopping areas.  It remains to be seen which town will fare better in the long run.

While both towns utilized the ULI TAP (Urban Land Institute Technical Assistance Panel) process to help restart discussion on commercial planning, Wilmette, with a now completed Master Plan, is clearly supporting its retail-experience shopping zones, while Winnetka appears headed in the opposite direction.  The Business Community Development Commission (BCDC) is recommending more fitness studios, weight loss clinics/diet centers, personal training facilities, therapy and counseling, architecture and interior design, accounting, bookkeeping, financial planning and income tax, insurance sales, mortgage brokers, stock/commodity/security brokers, medical and dental offices, according to the article.  

At a recent Plan Commission meeting, a Plan Commissioner asked if vacancies were studied. The BCDC rep said no. However, we know that D's Haute Dogs closed in East Elm citing a parking shortage for customers (a parking study done around the time of the post office analysis showed a large parking shortage in that commercial district) while Leoleno in Hubbard Woods closed citing high rent. Neither the restaurant nor the retailer stated that eliminating the retail zone or increased building height (the other focus, and a topic in and of itself) would have helped their businesses.

While the ULI TAP report was a good jump start on the conversation, it is one study of many that should be utilized in determining how best to revitalize our shopping districts. Our Comprehensive Plan and the BCDC's "Listen and Learn" sessions should be consulted, along with the 2008 Executive Summary and Report by the Ad Hoc Post Office Committee. After almost 3 years of analysis with multiple public hearings and forums (and assistance from Village-hired land-use and financial consultants) at a total cost of around $300,000.00, this is an in-depth report with meaningful principles on everything from uses, height, bulk, scale, density, parking, congestion, infrastructure and more. In 2008 the Council adopted "A Resolution Expressing Planning and Development Principles for the Post Office Site." Redevelopment was placed on hold for Library relocation analysis and then the "Great Recession" of 2009. As the economy rebounds, there's little point in further analysis. It's time to take this timeless analysis off the shelf, engage the community, and get to work.*

Winnetka is renowned for offering an outstanding and wide range of goods and services with friendly, personalized service. Vibrant local shopping districts support the needs of the community and visitors, bring in sales tax dollars, and instill community pride.

Don't let our downtown become a retail ghost town! Support our local merchants! See you at the annual sidewalk sale and festivities July 18 - 19th!!!

* Thank you Winnetka-Northfield-Kenilworth League of Women Voters for your in-depth study and recommendations to the Winnetka Plan Commission!

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