Consultant Finalists to Give Presentations on 'Downtown Plan'

If you want a say in the plan to redevelop downtown Joliet, you might want to attend the presentations being made this week by the six consultant finalists. Here's a news release from the city on the event:

The City of Joliet, along with the City Center Partnership, issued a Request for Proposals for a Downtown Plan in November, 2013. There were 13 consultant proposals submitted and, after initial review, there are now 6 finalists.

The finalists will be giving public presentations on Wednesday, January 15, 2014, at the Joliet Historical Museum, located at 204 N. Ottawa Street in Joliet, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Each of the finalists will give a 20 minute presentation.

The finalists are:

• Teska and Associates
• Camiros
• Houseal Lavigne Associates
• Ratio Architects
• The Lakota Group
• Etera Design Studio

Public parking is available and is located across from the museum at the corner of Ottawa and Webster Streets in downtown Joliet.

The City of Joliet and the City Center Partnership will make a final selection later in January and a recommendation to hire will be considered by the City Council on February 4, 2014.

After a consultant is hired, the process for the Downtown Plan will involve further public and stakeholder input. The Downtown Plan is expected to take 9 to 12 months to complete and will focus on economic development, an inventory of existing buildings and uses, and improving pedestrian, bike, and vehicular linkages.

If you have any questions, please contact City of Joliet Planning Director Kendall Jackson at (815) 724-4040.