I sense that some readers may be getting the wrong sense of where I stand with regard to condos in the downtown. I am for condos when they they don’t require the demolition of significant landmarks, are carefully sited, cater to a diverse demographic (with varied price points), and when they don’t cost more in incentives than they provide in economic impact. As such, it is best to understand that I am against certain condo projects rather than against condos in general. Why would I be against condos?

I remain skeptical, however, that there is a resilient market for luxury condos in downtown Elgin. And I do have concerns about the impact that the shifting downtown demographic will have on city priorities. Most downtown projects are targeted towards empty-nesters/seniors, and as such these residents will tend to have a shared sense of what they would like the downtown to be like. Hence rather than having a diverse downtown with a diverse set of establishments serving the community in general, the city will be beholden to these new downtown residents, who are for the most part empty-nesters and seniors, and enact policy that caters to them rather than to the stated ideal of the Center City Master Plan, which is to create a 24-hour downtown.

That said, once a landmark has been destroyed to make way for a condo, if the project was itself objectionable primarily on the grounds that it required the destruction of the landmark, it should be completed. Which is why I was very relieved to hear Councilman Sandor at the last council meeting finally ask the city manager to follow up on the River Park Place condo to see when the developers will break ground. I look forward to seeing more follow up on this issue.

Filed under: Uncategorized.
Follow responses to this entry through its RSS feed.