Skokie...The Cultural Advantage of Diversity; Downtown Revitalization

The revitalization of Downtown Skokie is a work in progress. Howard Meyer, executive director of the Skokie Chamber of Commerce and Randy Miles, president of IMODS and owner of the Village Inn are working with the Village of Skokie to make it happen.

Randy Miles and Howard Meyer...casual Friday

The Independent Merchants of Downtown Skokie is a nonprofit organization composed of business people, property owners and concerned citizens that propose ideas for downtown development.

I met with Howard and Randy at the Village Inn on a Friday afternoon. Howard and Randy had had a meeting at the Village Inn earlier in the day and Howard told me the place was packed.

Old time Skokians remember this location where Lincoln and Niles Center meet across from the historic St. Peter’s Church (built 1894) as Alberti’s. Randy greets his customers like friends or family. The Village Inn serves thin, thick and stuffed pizza included in a menu of 165 items. In fact, a flaming platter of saganaki interrupted our conversation as Randy shouted “opa,” (isn’t that a law?)

Randy offered me a beverage. I ordered a Coke because one can lose your concentration at the Village Inn surrounded by the 6 big screen TV and 39 smaller monitors.

We talked about business. Namely the business of filling vacant store fronts, improving facades, and generally creating the goods and services that the downtown Skokie workforce needs and Skokie residents want.

Illinois Science and Technology Park photo: C&M Photographics

With the growing base of the Illinois Science + Technology Park developed by Forest City Enterprises, the Skokie Campus of Oakton Community College (site of the former Niles East High School–go Trojans) and expansion of the Skokie Swift, aka the Yellow Line, Skokie business is poised for a growth spurt.

Even better; with consultation from IMODS the Village of Skokie has embarked on an ambitious redevelopment program. Features of the program include:

• Facade Assistance
• Interior Rehab
• Design Assistance
• Change of use allowance
• Parking Requirement Waiver
• Broker’s Bonus Program

This program offers real money…Up to $100,000 in matching grants–not loans– to update and renovate an existing building for approved use.

But the program and redevelopment of Skokie faces significant challenges. Not the least of which is the recession, which began in late 2007 and continues to hold the economy in its icy grip. Also, the retail building stock in Skokie is older as are its landlords. Some building owners have been slow to recognize the new economic realities.

Festival of Culture 2009 : photo by Ruth Sinker for Skokie Public Library;

One of Skokie’s greatest strengths is its ethnic diversity. Howard told me that in Skokie schools, “over 90 languages are spoken.” And yet this diversity can be a challenge in crafting an identity or brand for Skokie’s downtown.

When asked what types of businesses they’d like to see downtown, Randy and Howard pretty much agreed…galleries, restaurants, crafts & artisan shops, independently owned boutiques and jewelry stores, an upscale grocery, a health club, even a movie theatre.

Upside down at the Backlot Bash

I told Randy and Howard that we’re big fans of Al Curtis and the Skokie Theatre and that we attended last year’s Back Lot Bash in Skokie. Howard told me about the Skokie Festival of Cultures coming up on May 22 & 23.

As Skokie competes with surrounding suburbs and Chicago, the Village never loses sight of the culture advantage of diversity.

Tomorrow we will feature a profile of a member of IMODS, Barry Traeger, of Traeger Furs, inc