Southern Illinoisan: Construction boom continues in downtown Carbondale

[Tweed]

http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2005/01/22/top/doc41f24e24a29b6238078984.txt

"CARBONDALE -- Less than a year after the Carbondale City Council adopted a tax increment financing district downtown, the future of the designated area has changed from blight to bright.

Since the council designation, 14 commercial and residential structures, many dilapidated, were demolished to make way for redevelopment efforts and the downtown area has seen a commitment of almost 6 million development dollars go toward new construction or redevelopment of existing property.

"I think Carbondale was waiting for some spark to ignite the development that was happening in other areas, but not here," Mayor Brad Cole said. "The TIF district has provided that spark."

Property owners receive tax incentives for developing within a TIF district. During the life of the TIF, property values within the district are frozen. As those values rise, thanks to the development, the difference is placed in a special fund used specifically for future development projects within the district. That fund is expected to help keep development alive in the district."

Carbondale is moving on up?

[Radical Activist]

1. Meanwhile near the campus

everything is shutting down and boards are in the windows of buildings that used to be occupied. This was part of an overall strategy to kill the SIUC party school image and move more businesses from the campus area to the less student oriented downtown. Jerks.

[Tweed]

3. Why would anyone go to SIUC if it weren't a party school?

If you take away the image, wouldn't they lose a good amount of freshman applications?

[Radical Activist]

4. Try telling the school administration that

Morons. The bureaucracy at that school is obscene. It takes six years on average to graduate, and it isn't because everyone is too drunk to study. It's because of a dysfunctional bureaucracy that doesn't communicate effectively with students or have any concept of how to improve the graduation rate.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. what exactly have they torn down?

The Sufi coffee shop that was north of the rr station? Is the Middle Eastern restaurant still there?



I can't imagine SIU not being a party school.