Economic Development News & Events - May 2012
City of Evanston, Illinois sent this bulletin at 05/04/2012 05:38 PM CDTHaving trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.
May 4, 2012
WELCOME
With the weather warming up through the month of May, we encourage you to get out and explore Evanston’s distinctive business districts, participate in one of the numerous events or training opportunities being offered, or perhaps just check-in on the progress of one of the many construction projects under way throughout the City. With events like the recent TEDx Evanston and upcoming Entrepreneur Idol, the growing membership in Evanston’s co-working spaces, the rise of Evanston-based locale distiller FEW Spirits, and the active rehab projects to accommodate new businesses like the Ward Eight Wine Bar and the Evanston North Shore Contractors Cooperative – Evanston is demonstrating it is a great place for entrepreneurs and small business owners to develop and grow their businesses. This month, the City is once again playing host to the sixth annual Content Management Systems (CMS) Expo. This is the fourth time in six years that the event has been held in Evanston – and we are proud to showcase our city to the 350+ participants who come from all over the world for this event! With the GFS Marketplace nearing completion; new construction for housing projects under way for AMLI (Chicago Avenue), Focus Development (Ridge Avenue) and numerous NSP2 housing projects; and the various commercial rehab projects scattered throughout the City, Evanston’s economy is definitely growing. From the variety of theatre, dance, film, and gallery openings to the return of the outdoor Farmer’s Markets to the noteworthy restaurants and local retailers, we are looking forward to the ever-increasing activity throughout the City during the upcoming weeks.
Economic Development Summit
The City of Evanston is hosting an Economic Development Summit on May 18, 2012 from 8:30am - 11:30am in the Parasol Room of the Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center. The event will provide a forum for discussions on strategies for implementation of the 2012-2014 Economic Development Plan. The City recognizes the importance of public-private Economic Development partnerships and is encouraging our businesses, community leaders, residents and economic development partners to participate! To be placed on the invitation list for the summit, please contact Jim Furey or Eric Santiago in the Economic Development Division.
Mayor's Summer Job Fair a Success
The Mayor's Summer Youth Employment Program Job Fair, held on April 21, 2012, attracted hundreds of teens, with a line forming as early as 4:45am! At the event, 14 employers interviewed 541 teens for 240 positions. Due to this overwhelming response, a small number of additional jobs may be offered depending on funding availability. Contact Kevin Brown, Youth and Young Adult Program Manager, at 847-448-8042 or email.
MEDIA BUZZ
FEW Spirits, the fast-growing local distillery located at 918 Chicago Avenue, was recently featured in the Chicago Tribune. Serious Eats - an online community and blogging site catering to Chicago and New York food enthusiasts - went “behind the scenes at FEW,” following the distilling process with owner Paul Hletko.
The Daily Northwestern featured a story on Evanston's first TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) event. The TEDx talk, "Adventures in Learning," was presented on April 18, 2012, and featured several Evanston-based leaders, each emphasizing a modern approach to education at the elementary, high school, college and corporate level. A recap of the event will be available soon at the TEDx Evanston website. TED is the preeminent international organization devoted to “ideas worth spreading.”
Triblocal Evanston highlighted an upcoming vegetable gardening class that will begin on Saturday, May 12, 2012 at Boocoo Cultural Center's New Leaf Garden at 1823 Church Street. The class "How to Start a Vegetable Garden" will continue in multiple four-week sessions over the spring and summer.
Bright Horizons, a leading provider of employer-sponsored daycare, was featured in the Daily Northwestern. With a planned opening in the fall of 2012 at 1629 Orrington Avenue, Bright Horizons will serve over 300 children, at least 60 of whom will be children of Northwestern University employees.
Creative Coworking, located at 922 Davis Street, and coLab, at 900 Chicago Avenue, were featured in the Evanston Review for their unique offering of coworking space for those individuals who "can't work from home."
The Daily Northwestern featured the The Foster Dance Studio. The studio opened in September of 2011 at 915 Foster, and “Dance Forward,” their premiere performance, is scheduled for May 12, 2012.
Edzo's Burger Shop, located at 1571 Sherman Avenue, and Evanston Chicken Shack, at 1925 Ridge Avenue, were featured in the Chicago Reader's article "Eating Out, Way Out- Thirty-six Suburban Restaurants Worth Leaving the City For."
Local resident and entrepreneur, Terry Howerton, penned an article in Forbes magazine discussing entrepreneurship at the age of 40 and beyond. Howerton is a new contributor to Forbes and says his column will "be about the serendipity of entrepreneurship. It will be about the journey and will celebrate collaboration."
Soulwich, located at 1634 Orrington Ave., was given recognition by Chicago Magazine for being one of "8 New Spots for Budget Dining." It was also a featured story on ABC 7 News' Hungry Hound segment.
Evanston photographer, David Sutton, was featured in the Lincolnwood Review for his newest passion - building cigar box guitars. This passion inspired his recently published book, "Cigar Box Guitars: The Ulltimate DIY Guide for Makers and Players of the Homemade Music Revolution."
Evanston Now reported that One Rotary Center (1560 Sherman Avenue), the world headquarters for Rotary International, obtained LEED Gold certification for existing buildings from the U.S. Green Building Council. The certification recognizes building owners' achievement in maximizing building operational efficiency while minimizing environmental impact.
Although Best Buy announced it would be closing 50 stores nationwide, they have confirmed that Evanston's Best Buy, located at 2301 Howard Street, will not be affected.
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
The Evanston Chamber of Commerce celebrated its 92nd Annual Meeting on May 2, 2012. At the meeting, several local businesses were honored: Small Businessperson of the year- Dean and Maggie Noonan (WineStyles); Public Service/Nonprofit person of the year- Larry and Sylvia DiStasi (The Actor's Gymnasium) and Community Leadership Award-Paul and Cease Giddings (Folkworks Gallery). Congratulations to the award winners!
Northwestern University’s NuMat Technologies won the world championship in the Rice Business Plan Competition, earning nearly $1 million for its invention of a nanomaterial that can store gases just as a sponge soaks up water. The Rice University Business Plan Competition is the world's largest and richest graduate-level business plan competition in the world.
SHORT RUNS
Coming soon to the The Actor's Gymnasium is Circus in Progress, an evening of daring new work in circus art. Only two performances are scheduled - Saturday, May 19, 2012 at 4:30pm and 7:30pm. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit the The Actor's Gymnasium site.
Next Theatre Company, a local theater company that produces "socially provocative, artistically adventurous work" has extended its run of Amy Herzog's After the Revolution through May 19, 2012. Visit Next Theatre's site to get ticket information and learn more about this local company's current performance season.
Piven Theatre, 927 Noyes, is presenting: Encores: After the Theatre And Other Stories, now through May 20, 2012. Directed by Joyce Piven, this show is described as “…an artful exploration of the complexities of love through the words of master storyteller Anton Chekhov.”
NOW OPEN
Crossfit Shoreside
Solixir, a company that specializes in creating all natural functional beverages, recently opened its headquarters at 940 Pitner in the West End Business District. The company currently has eight employees in Evanston with additional field staff developing the brand nationwide. The three flavors of Solixir (Relax, Restore and Awaken) can be found in Whole Foods stores.
EVANSTON INNOVATION CORNER
The sixth annual Content Management Systems (CMS) Expo will be held May 8-10 at the Hilton Orrington/Evanston Hotel. The three-day learning and business conference attracts 350 individuals from around the globe. This is the fourth year the CMS Expo has been in Evanston and co-hosts John and Linda Coonen stated, "We listen to our market and they love meeting in Evanston!"
Entrepreneur Idol is Northwestern University InNUvation’s Idea-pitch competition for all students enrolled in an undergraduate curriculum. This year, the event will be held on May 5 at 10am at Kellogg School of Management. Entrepreneur Idol posts students with ideas against a panel of judges and audience members who will critique them based on the quality, creativity and delivery of their concepts. Each year, Entrepreneur Idol brings about 25-30 registered teams from more than 10 universities. Tim Lavengood of the Technology Innovation Center is the keynote speaker.
SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS
A free Youth Entrepreneurship Summer (YES!) Camp is being offered by the Youth Organization Umbrella (YOU). The Camp will run from 1:30-4:30pm every weekday from June 18-July 19. The next informational session for students and parents will be May 8, 2012 at 6:30pm at Evanston Township High School in Room W201.
The Community Technology Center (CTC) at the Youth Job Center (1114 Church Street) is officially open! All ages are welcome to come to the CTC Monday-Thursday, 4:00pm-7:00pm. They offer free classes, including Intro to Computers, Basic Internet Skills, and Beginner to Advanced Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. The Youth Job Center of Evanston provides young job seekers with job placement assistance, employment counseling, workforce training and ongoing developmental support.
The Evanston Public Library has partnered with the Illinois WorkNet Center to offer job search assistance, career coaching, computer workshops, and related career services for Evanston community members. Illinois WorkNet, located on the 3rd floor of the Evanston Public Library at 1703 Orrington Avenue, is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 am - 6 pm; and Tuesday and Thursday from 10 am- 8 pm.
SCORE CHICAGO provides free business counseling, management consulting and low cost workshops; advises on how to get a business loan; and offers other resources such as templates for a business plan. SCORE has an Evanston Branch, located at the Evanston Public Library, and representatives are available on Monday and Wednesday afternoons by appointment. SCORE Chicago
DID YOU KNOW?
There are a number of Commercial Districts throughout the City. Among these are several business associations that seek to provide unique offerings for their surrounding communities and add to the vitality of the City. For more information on each business district and our business associations, visit the City's website or click the map.
The Evanston Farmers' Market season will begin May 5, 2012 with the Downtown Evanston Farmers' Market (May 5-November 3). In addition to fresh produce and goods, this market will also feature Homegrown Artists who will display and sell their artwork on select Saturdays. Four additional farmers' markets will begin later this spring: the Ridgeville Market (May 30-October 10), the Central Street Green Market (June 6-October 31), the West End Ethnic Market (June 30-October 13) and the Farmers Market at McGaw YMCA (June 13-August 22). For more information on each, visit the City's website.
Evanston North Shore Contractors Cooperative LLC (ENSCC) is planning an extensive renovation and reuse of the landmark building as a center for its 13 Evanston-based contractors and as an incubator for building trades. Offices for the cooperative members are proposed on the upper floors, with a design showroom, conference room, and general office space on the ground level.
Evanston Arts Buzz features the latest arts and culture events happening in Evanston. From the Mitchell Museum to Boocoo to S.PA.C.E, there is certain to be an event that will pique your interest!
Fleetwood Jourdain Theatre offers classes and programs for teens, adults and seniors. They are currently gearing up for their summer performances.
The Evanston Dance Ensemble will be holding auditions for their 2012-2013 season on Saturday, May 5, 2012 for new dancers.
Property Tax Information
Cook County recently made it easier for residents to obtain Property Tax information. The Cook County Property Tax Portal was the result of a collaboration among elected officials who take part in the property tax system. The Portal consolidates information and gives a one-stop customer service website for Cook County taxpayers.
REPORTS & PRESENTATIONS
Staff from the City of Evanston Public Works Department presented findings from the study on an intermediate station on the CTA Yellow line between Ridge Avenue and Dodge Avenue. Each of the three proposed stations could aid in redevelopment along their respective corridors and provide better connections to destinations such as the Levy Center and St. Francis Hospital. A full copy of the final report and the conceptual planbook for the new station are available on the City's website. You can also find more information on the proposed project at www.evanstonyellowlinestation.org.
Dempster Dodge Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District
On April 12, 2012 the Joint Review Board (JRB) held a public hearing to discuss the Draft Redevelopment Plan for the proposed Dempster Dodge TIF District. TIF financing could be used to assist with potential renovations and re-tenanting of the Evanston Plaza Shopping Center. After discussing the merits of the propoal, the JRB voted unanimously to support the creation of the TIF District. On May 14, 2012, the City Council will hold a public hearing on the TIF District at 7:00pm in the Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center at 2100 Ridge Avenue. A copy of the staff recommendation and the Draft Redevelopment Plan are available on the City’s website.
Foreclosure Filings Decline in Evanston
A study by the Woodstock Institute found that foreclosure filings in Evanston declined by nearly 21 percent last year. This follows an overall decline in filings seen in the 6 counties that make up the Chicagoland region. The study stated that this decline could have been due to a number of reasons, including delays in the foreclosure filing process or use of alternatives to foreclosures. To view the full report on Chicago region foreclosures, visit the Woodstock Institute's site and download the Foreclosure Fact Sheet.
RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIES
What Does Economic Development in Evanston mean to you?
Evanston’s Economic Development Division is looking for photographs featuring your favorite businesses! The top three chosen pictures will be posted weekly on the Economic Development’s Facebook page. Photos must embody Evanston economic development and must be shot in Evanston. Please send your photos to economicdevelopment@cityofevanston.org
Looking for a space to locate your business?
The City of Evanston maintains a list of commercial, office and industrial properties available for lease or purchase on our website. If you are a leasing agent or owner who would like to have your property listed, please send an email to the Economic Development Division with the following information: Property Address • Total Available Space (sq. ft.) • Contact Name and Phone Number • Link to website (if applicable).
Improve the “Face” of your Business
The City of Evanston is currently accepting applications for participation in its Facade Improvement Program. If you are a business owner or commercial property owner, you may be eligible to participate in this program designed to help upgrade the exterior of your building. For more information, contact Economic Development Specialist Jim Furey or call 847-448-8078.
(Picture is of IRMCO, located at 2117 Greenleaf, which recently completed exterior renovations through the Facade Improvement Program.)
Get Connected
Join the Local Business Directory! The City of Evanston has a Local Business Directory, which is a resource for residents, businesses or visitors who are seeking out specific goods or services. In addition, this list is used by the City of Evanston as a resource in bidding processes for City-funded projects. We currently list over 1,000 local businesses. If you want to get on the list, contact Eric Santiago in the Economic Development office or call 847-448-8100.
Connect with the Economic Development Team online!
Our website is continually updated to include helpful information, statistics, property listings and resources for your business. In addition to the information provided in the monthly newsletters and website, the Economic Development Division also maintains Facebook page. "Like" us and receive regular updates on business openings, events and other Economic Development news.
|
--The mission of the Economic Development Division is to redevelop distressed property, revitalize neighborhoods, provide job opportunities, generate sustainable tax revenue, and bring amenities to neighborhoods in the City through local investment.-- |
