City of BelvidereDOWNTOWN MULTI-MODAL TRANSIT CENTER

Today a “new uses” economyis emerging—moving us from a

petroleum-based economy to a “green”

economy based on agricultural raw

materials and commodities. Science-

based technology companies are

creating new uses for crops, creating

new crops, and devising new uses for

crop residues and wastes.

new uses economy: • new uses for crops • new crops • new uses for crop residues & wastes

2

Now is our opportunity to re-invigorate the region’s economy and sustainability.A “new uses” economy can bring it to fruition.

Our region’s tremendous system of assets is perfectly suited to the task of making this economic renewal possible.

a shared system of assets • 17 million people • edge of the Great Prairie

3

Anchored by of the cities ofChicago, Milwaukee, Madison,Minneapolis, and Rockford, our“regional city” is the fourthlargest urban constellation in theUS—home to 17 million people.

This is the edge of the GreatPrairie, the most productivefarmland in the world.

The area functions collectively bysharing a system of transportation,economic, and geographic assets.

CONNECTING A SKILLED WORKFORCE TO NEW ECONOMY JOBS.

The I-90 regional corridor connects the edges of our regional city to its center. From

the “global” city of Chicago, to the “quality of life” city of Madison, the I-90 regional

corridor is a necklace of skill centers in manufacturing, agriculture, recreation,

transshipment, and health care.

DEVELOPING HIGH TECH CENTERS.

Illinois and Wisconsin are becoming high-tech centers. The I-90 corridor connects top

public- and private-sector research in Madison and Chicago to centers for incubation,

development and manufacture throughout the corridor.

manufacturing • ag • transshipment • healthcare • high-tech • research

Our next transportation decisions are key. I-90, a regional corridor, can provide the workforce mobility needed for

successful economic development.

4

Belvidere-Boone County can participate in: • development • farm production • product manufacturing • assembly

IDEAL LOCATION, CORPORATE COMMUNITY, & LAND USE OPPORTUNITIES.

Belvidere-Boone County occupies an ideal spot in the I-90 corridor. Additionally, its corporate community and itsland use opportunities position it to participate in four phases of the new uses economy. These include new usesproduct development, farm production, product manufacture, and assembly.

STRONG RESEARCH NETWORK.

Belvidere-Boone Co. is at the center of a network of public andprivate research facilities.

LOCAL INITIATIVES.

Local initiatives are supporting development of a “new uses”economy. They include:

• DaimlerChrysler, a German-based automobile manufacturer, is ready to embrace new “green” fuel systems.

• A New Uses Technology Park is proposed to front I-90, as wellas a new product manufacturing park, and corporate businesspark with frontage on I-90.

Strategically located in the corridor, Belvidere-Boone County is in position toparticipate in four phases of the new uses economy.

5

New Uses Ag-Tech Districts

DOWNTOWN TRANSIT CENTER.Entertainment and hospitality,historic downtown setting, andurban living.

TOLLWAY STATION CENTER.Regional employment center,manufacturing, and technology-based industry.

Belvidere is a logical, linear extension for Chicago’s Metra-Rail system, with points to serve the Belvidere area workforce and interstate travelers.

6

urban living • regional center

The communities of Belvidere and Boone County have become synonymous with “quality.”

Since 1835, when a Mr. Whitney first dubbed the land that would become the City of Belvidere, “Elysian Fields,” the community and county have become known forbeing a well-spring for quality living. The Kishwaukee River is a Class A river that flows through the heart of Belvidere and winds its way past parks, open fields, andproductive farmland. The City of Belvidere is host to several major corporations, fromDaimler-Chrysler to General Mills, companies look at Belvidere for its source of high-quality workers with high education levels and strong work ethic.

The Belvidere School District #100 is unified county-wide and has made recentinvestments in the middle and high school campuses. District #100 routinely scoreshigh in rankings in the classroom as well as on the athletic fields. The Belvidere Bucswere once again in the State Semi-finals for football just this fall.

As “the City of Murals,” Belvidere also cherishes and celebrates is historic past andthe artistic talents of its citizenry as it annually holds community festivals and events.

In the past 10 years, Belvidere and Boone County’s growth has outpaced most of thegreater Chicagoland Area. This is no accident. As people from the urban metro areatire of lack of community and waning benefits coupled with high real estate prices,Belvidere has become a logical choice for having, “the best of both worlds.” Belvidereis a strong and vibrant community with good businesses, multiple transportationconnections, and a highly educated workforce while also having a high quality of life,an abundance of natural areas and open space, and a heritage based on qualityvalues and community spirit.

quality living • high-quality workers • historic past • vibrant community spirit

7

IntroductionThis plan is the result of a convergence of local interests working togetherto develop a vision for downtown Belvidere, centering around a regionalinitiative to extend Metra service to the area. A Commuter Rail FeasibilityStudy published in November 2004 by the Northern Illinois Commuter RailInitiative concluded that a Metra line extension to Rockford with multiplestops, including a Tollway Station in Belvidere’s planned FloraNeighborhood as well as downtown Belvidere, is a feasible and importantnext step in addressing the increasing residential and commercial growthalong the I-90 corridor. Extending Metra will provide a viable transportationalternative for the growing number of commuters from the Rockfordmetropolitan area and Southern Wisconsin to the Chicago area.Recognizing the vital need to mitigate highway traffic congestion, reduceoil consumption, and improve air quality, Belvidere is proactively workingto make this Metra line extension a reality.

The City is planning concurrently for two Metra station stops: TollwayStation in the planned Flora Neighborhood and the Downtown Multi-modalTransit Center. The City recognizes the important roles these two distinctlydifferent, yet equally important, centers will fulfill. Tollway Station will serveregional commuters, offering these I-90 drivers a rail alternative to theirautomobiles, and will play a key role in the energy-conservation andtransit-oriented development strategy in the planned Flora Neighborhood.The Downtown Multi-modal Transit Center will also provide a commutingalternative for Belvidere residents working in the Chicago area. However,one of the primary goals of this Transit Center is to provide an opportunityfor a reverse commute, bringing people from the region via bus and rail to Belvidere’s pedestrian-friendly, transit-oriented downtown to work, live,and experience the historic riverfront “City of Murals.”

Leading the development of this plan is a team comprised of the City, the Boone County Historical Museum, Belvidere Main Street Center,

historic community • on the Kishwaukee River • new housing options • downtown business opportunities • regional visitors

8

and the Northern Illinois Tourism DevelopmentOffice. This group reached out to additionalstakeholders, property owners, and the public to help craft a vision which reflects communityconsensus for the future development ofdowntown.

This plan envisions the future of downtown as:

• A multi-modal transit center providing a centralconnection for local and regional transportationroutes, serving both Belvidere residents andcommuters to the Chicago-area.

• A pedestrian-friendly destination for shoppingand services.

• A location for new, quality housing that willthrive in this center of transportation optionsand pedestrian-scale development.

• A center of business development, capitalizingon the attraction of workers to Belvidere’squality of life and commuting accessibility viathe proposed Metra stop in the Transit Center.

• A destination for regional recreation, with aplanned riverfront path ultimately connectingdowntown to the Grand Illinois Trail.

Downtown PlanFirst Phase

Belvidere has prioritized its goals fordowntown redevelopment surrounding the Transit Center, focusing on the followingsteps for first phase implementation overthe next five years.

transit center • civic campuscommercial • mixed use

9

DOWNTOWN MULTI-MODAL TRANSIT CENTER

The Downtown Multi-Modal Transit Center lies at the heart of this plan. TheTransit Center will serve as a Metra station, a bus depot, and a connectingpoint along a pedestrian and bicycle pathway that leads to the KishwaukeeRiver path. The Transit Center will also include complementary retail space,office space and parking.

Downtown Multi-Modal Transit Center Design Recommendations

• Close Pleasant Street to auto traffic between Main and Whitney forconstruction of the Metra station. The train will stop at the stationbetween Main and State Streets without blocking either of theseimportant downtown arterial streets.

• Construct two platforms (inbound and outbound) serviced by a ticketbooth, seating areas and restrooms.

• Enhance two existing parking lots located on either side of the TransitCenter to accommodate parking.

• Construct a stand-alone bus depot as part of the Transit Center toprovide connections to Tollway Station, to a Rockford bus route, and to regional bus routes. The bus depot should include a tower whichreflects the architecture of the historic National Sewing MachineCompany, a portion of which is located two blocks away and is slated for redevelopment as a mixed-use project.

metra station • bus depot • pedestrian and bicycle connection to Kishwaukee River path • retail and office space

10

Downtown Plan the

First Five Years

CIVIC CAMPUS

A Civic Campus is developing immediately west of theTransit Center. The primary drivers behind this campusare the planned move of City Hall from its current locationto a site between the Transit Center and State Street onWhitney Boulevard and the near-future expansion of theBoone County Historical Museum. These anchors willhelp support commercial redevelopment and infill ateither end of the campus along Locust Street and to thesouth along both sides of Buchanan Street.

relocation of City Hall • Boone County Historical Museum expansion • commercial development • infill

11

Museum Expansion Design Recommendations

• Accommodate expansion by building a second and third story andexpanding outward to Pleasant Street.

• Include high end, flexible meeting space so the museum serves adual purpose as a community center.

• Renovate the historic façade, including a pedestrian arcade alongWhitney and Pleasant Streets.

• Create an outdoor display on State Street and integrate displaywindows along Whitney and Pleasant Streets, bringing the museumto life outside as well as inviting passersby into the museum.

• Create a second entrance and plaza on Pleasant Street near theTransit Center containing plantings, seating and decorative flags.

• Enliven the State Street entrance with architectural and site features.

• Accommodate parking in two shared lots for the museum andcommercial redevelopment.

DEPOT DISTRICT

East of the Transit Center is the Depot District, a two block area between therailroad and Buchanan Street. Redevelopment in this district is centered around thehistoric train depot which could serve as a stop on an excursion rail line. The Cityshould investigate developing an excursion train traveling east toward Union, homeof the Illinois Railway Museum, the largest railway museum in the United States.The City should also determine the feasibility of an excursion train connecting westto the Canadian National Illinois Central Railroad, traveling to Galena and Dubuque.The Depot District is also well suited for the development of mixed-use buildings,accommodating commercial uses on ground floors and residential units above.

Depot District Design Recommendations

• Develop a lateral rail spur and platform on the north side of the existing rail lineto allow an excursion train to pull off for loading and unloading in Belvidere.

• Reconstruct the depot to preserve and enhance its historic architecture, andprogram the interior space to include ticketing, retail, and restrooms. Parkingshould be available adjacent to the depot.

• Extend the at-grade rail platforms into the depot district to provide a pedestrianconnection to the Transit Center, providing space on the platforms for open-airvendors during peak travel hours.

• Locate buildings close to the street, accommodating parking in the rear, as wellas sharing parking with the Transit Center.

• Include historic architectural elements in façade designs of new mixed-usebuildings, the character of which should complement commercialredevelopment proposed further west along Buchanan.

historic train depot • excursion train • attracting visitors from the region • open-air vendors • mixed use buildings

12

Photo courtesy of the Boone County Historical Museum

pedestrian scale development • historic character of downtown

13

COMMERCIAL AND MIXED-USE REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS

Development of the Transit Center and redevelopment in the Civic Campusand Depot District should be supplemented by redevelopment of keysurrounding sites, focusing on the blocks north and south of the TransitCenter, between State and Main Streets.

Commercial Redevelopment District Land Use Recommendations

• Develop two-story commercial buildings south of the Transit Center andCivic Campus on either side of Buchanan Street, with first floor retail andsecond floor office space.

• Convert Buchanan to a two-way street, increasing visibility of andaccessibility to retail.

• Redevelop the Farmer’s Co-op site on the north side of Buchananbetween Main and Whitney into two new commercial buildings.

• Create a twenty foot-wide pedestrian path to connect this district with theTransit Center, locating an outdoor café along the path.

• Locate a “Kiss-and-ride” drop off area for the Transit Center along BuchananStreet, offering a sunny southern exposure for morning drop offs.

Mixed-Use Redevelopment District Land Use Recommendations

• Develop two three-story mixed-use buildings, including first floor retail andupper-floor residential uses, in the two blocks north of the Transit Center.

• Create a twenty foot-wide pedestrian path to connect this district with theTransit Center.

Commercial and Mixed-use Redevelopment Districts Design Recommendations

• Locate buildings adjacent to the sidewalk and include first-floor retailspaces to encourage pedestrian activity. Include canopies over storefrontsto further define the pedestrian space.

• Design buildings to evoke the historic architectural character of downtownBelvidere in both scale and form.

• Accommodate parking in a lot that can be shared with the adjacent Transit Center.

ADDITIONAL MOMENTUM FOR DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION

While the City is focusing in this plan on the twelve-block areaencompassing the Transit Center, Civic Campus, and Depot,Commercial, and Mixed-use Districts, downtown revitalization is alsooccurring outside of this cluster. Current activities include:

• Redevelopment planning, environmental assessment, and City landacquisition within the Kishwaukee River Redevelopment Area (KRRA),which is slated for a $30 million mixed-use infill and adaptive reuseproject at the former National Sewing Machine Company site.

• Adoption of the Kishwaukee River Redevelopment Area TaxIncrement Financing District took place in January 2003 to facilitatethe public improvements in the KRRA.

• Plans for realignment of Locust Street, which will facilitate movementof people through the core of this downtown area.

• Planning for a new residential riverfront development west of DotyPark where Public Works is currently located.

• Future expansion of the YMCA, enhancing downtown recreationaland community opportunities.

• Planning for a pedestrian connection either beneath or along theState Street bridge. This, in combination with the planned extensionof the riverwalk to provide a connection to the Grand Illinois Trail, will put the City firmly on the regional trail map.

• Creation of a downtown park on the block bordered by Nebraska,Locust, Warren, and Pleasant.

• Recent location of a daycare facility south of the CommercialRedevelopment District, providing “social infrastructure” for down-town workers, residents, and commuters using the Transit Center in the future.

additional downtown revitalization • mixed use infill • riverfront development • downtown recreation opportunities

14

Downtown Plan the Second Phase

As this vision for the redevelopment of downtownBelvidere around a Transit Center is realized, there willbe increased momentum and resources available toimplement this plan.

SECOND PHASE LAND USE RECOMMENDATIONS

• Increase the visibility and importance of the TransitCenter to downtown by constructing a three storybuilding for the Transit Center including ground levelspace for ticketing, retail, and restrooms with officespace on upper floors.

• Replace surface parking to the north of the TransitCenter with a parking structure, including a busdepot on the ground floor.

• Further infill the Mixed-use District north of the TransitCenter between the parking structure and existingbuildings.

• Develop a five-story building in the Mixed-use Districtthat connects to the parking structure and includesoffice space on the first two stories with residentialunits above.

structured parking • transit center • ground level retail • upper level office space

15

increase visibility of Transit Center • infill Mixed Use District • connected parking • increased momentum for implementation

16

Downtown Multi-Modal Transit Center

Belvidere, Illinois

Future Phase I

Next Steps

To move this plan forward, the City should further develop its strategy for catalyzingdowntown redevelopment, focusing on the Downtown Multi-modal Transit Centerand surrounding blocks. The City has already demonstrated its commitment todowntown revitalization by creating downtown TIF districts, by procuring state andfederal grants to conduct downtown brownfield assessment and remediationplanning, by acquiring land in the Kishwaukee River Redevelopment Area, byplanning to relocate City Hall to a site between the Transit Center and State Street,and by commissioning this plan. This demonstration of steadfast commitment willhelp the City as it moves forward with next implementation steps, which will be vitalto the successful realization of this vision.

NEXT IMPLEMENTATION STEPS

Gain Support and Stakeholder Buy-In

• Communicate this vision with state and federal legislators and governmentagencies to demonstrate the potential that this project has to benefit thecommunity and the region, seeking support for state and federal fundingapplications. Gain support for both the Metra line extension and the downtowntransit-oriented development initiative as a whole.

• Achieve City Council adoption of this plan.

• Seek to integrate this plan into Boone County Comprehensive Plan as well as any other local and regional plans that include downtown.

• Continue outreach to key stakeholders and the public to ensure community buy-in of this plan.

Develop the Transit Center

• Work closely with Metra on plans for extending service and for developing stopsat the Tollway Station and Downtown Multi-modal Transit Center. Coordinatethese efforts with the Rockford Area Transportation Study (RATS).

• Develop a strategy for making local and regional bus connections. Specifically,consider connections to the Tollway Station, and to a Rockford bus stop.

communicate the vision • gain support • plan adoption • integrate into existing plans • continued outreach

17

Acquire Funding

• Support the efforts of the Northern Illinois Commuter Rail Initiative(NICRI) in its next implementation steps to extend the Metra line,including positioning the project for federal New Starts funding.

• Work with Metra, RATS, NICRI, and any other stakeholderorganizations to develop a funding strategy for the local share of investment required for infrastructure and operating costsassociated with extending the Metra line.

• Seek funding to develop preliminary engineering and design costestimates for the Transit Center.

• Develop an incentive strategy to facilitate development of theTransit Center and redevelopment surrounding it. This strategy may include, but not be limited to, the following:

- Examine the potential for expanding the boundaries of existingdowntown TIF districts or creating a new TIF district.

- Consider creating a Special Service Area (SSA) to fund publicimprovements and services for this area of downtown.

• Prepare for future grant submittals to fund elements of this plan. In particular, develop any plans necessary to support IllinoisTransportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) applications to fund

pedestrian and bicycle pathways through downtown, the Riverwalkextension, streetscape improvements, and rehabilitation of historictrain depot.

Facilitate Desired Redevelopment Projects

• Analyze the zoning in this area and if necessary, rezone to facilitatethe type of development called for in this plan.

• Formalize design standards for this area by creating and adoptingDowntown Urban Design Standards or by creating an UrbanDesign zoning overlay district.

• Continue to implement the principles of the Downtown Main Street program.

Market to the Private Sector

• Develop marketing materials to attract businesses, developers, and individuals to invest and locate in downtown.

develop funding strategy • create incentive strategy • prepare for grant submittals • analyze zoning • design standards

18