Our Vision for Downtown Elgin
Our vision for a preferred downtown Elgin is a destination where the community works, lives, and enjoys the arts, quality entertainment, outstanding restaurants and delightful shopping experiences all in the unique atmosphere of historic Elgin on the Fox River. It is a place where people desire to live in renovated loft residences and new up-scale condominiums.
Property owners enjoy 100% occupancy of office, retail, and residence space. They prosper with the demand for space at market rates and reinvest their profits in their properties. The infrastructure is "tech ready." All Internet and computer connections and power are more than adequate to handle the growing number of tech businesses locating downtown.
Those who work downtown enjoy a real sense of community and the conveniences of a downtown location. Many travel on Metra from Chicago and other suburbs. Parents kiss their children goodbye as they bring them to a first-rate child care center one block from their office. Others drop clothing at the dry cleaners and get in twenty-minute work out at the local recreation center before starting their day. Workers settle into their workstations that are the envy of any internet/computer-based business in the world. They have 24-7 access to the Internet and clients from around the world.
During the noon hour, the streets are filled with people on their way to the bank, bookstore, and drug store or to lunch. They wait in a short line to be seated at fabulous restaurants that provide quick lunchtime service. Regulars ask for their favorite server and greet the owner and other familiar patrons. Some get their lunch "to go" and sit in the park, enjoy the open spaces and take in the sun.
Youth breathe life into the community while attending the performing arts high school and college at downtown campuses.
The arts would be an active part of people's daily life. Workers and visitors attend an artist's workshop and see new and unique statues and pieces in the attractive sculpture garden. Families congregate at weekly events and monthly festivals. They enjoy an outstanding library and a stroll along the riverfront. They meet with friends for summer concerts under the stars or listen to symphonic music. On bright winter days, parents sip hot cocoa as they admire their children's skill on the ice rink.
Bicyclists trail of the bike path and park their bicycles next to others in front of a small cafe. They order beverages and catch up with old friends. They go for a short walk and browse the windows of boutiques vowing to return the next day to shop. They get back on their bicycles and head off into one of the surrounding neighborhoods on a historic bike tour.
The nighttime brings excitement, music, dancing and dining. A little jazz, a little blues, a little Cajun, a little Italian. Anything you desire. A foreign film, the latest flick, old-time favorites, late into the evening, entertainment for everyone.
There is no fear, there is no crime and parking is just around the comer. The short walk from your car to your destination is a delightful experience of sights, sounds, and smells. You pass a boutique, a bakery, a coffee shop, friends sipping tea, discussing a new author at an outside cafe and the Riverboat sounds its horn. You observe a "citizen guide" giving directions to a visitor. The local beat officer passes you, smiles and greets you with a "good afternoon." You think to yourself that coming downtown is always such a pleasurable experience. You can't wait for the holiday season to begin to see how vendors will light up the downtown.