===== PDF PAGE 1 ===== [Extraction: embedded PDF text] WHERE HISTORY & PROGRESS MEET Downtown Revitalization Commission Monday, April 27, 2026 - 6:00 p.m. West Chicago City Hall - Council Chambers 475 Main Street West Chicago, IL 60185 A G E N D A 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Approval of Minutes: March 23, 2026 4. Walking Tour of Downtown* 5. Reports on Stakeholder Feedback 6. Clarification of Goals 7. Public Comment 8. Adjournment * Downtown Walking Tour Notice: The Commission will depart from City Hall for a walking tour of the downtown area and will return upon completion. City Hall will be locked during this time. Individuals wishing to attend who require accommodations should contact Kelley Chrisse at kchrisse@westchicago.org or 630-818-3331. 475 Main Street T 630.293.2200 Daniel Bovey MAYOR West Chicago, Illinois F 630.293.3028 60185 westchicago.org Viviana Ramirez CITY ADMINISTRATOR ===== PDF PAGE 2 ===== [Extraction: embedded PDF text] WHERE HISTORY & PROGRESS MEET DRAFT MEETING MINUTES Downtown Revitalization Commission Monday, March 23, 2026 - 6:00 p.m. 1. Call to Order Chairperson Salzman called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. 2. Roll Call Members present included Chair Salzman, Commissioners Beebe (departed at 7:30 a.m.), Ballines, Kolode, Myers, Phalen, and Sabathne. Members absent included Commissioner and Espinosa. Other individuals present included Mayor Dan Bovey, Business and Community Relations Director Kelley Chrisse, and Interim Community Development Director John Sterrett. 3. Approval of Minutes Commissioner Sabathne made a motion to approve the draft meeting minutes from February 23, 2026 and seconded by Commissioner Phalen. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote. 4. Evaluation of Prior Downtown Site/Concept Plans Chair Salzman stated that the City staff will be looking to issuing an RFQ (Request for Qualifications) for the development of a plan for the West Washington Street corridor. To initiate this discussion, staff reviewed the past plans considered by the City related to this site. Mayor Bovey emphasized having feedback from the residents early on in the process and include pictures and visual aids for residents to go off of. Commissioner Myers would like to see an initial sketch produced by a selected firm to provide to residents to use as a baseline for a conversation. Commissioner Sabathne would like a phasing schedule and explanation of why certain tasks will occur. Chair Salzman agreed that initial renderings will be important to develop early on to provide to the community. Director Chrisse stated that the existing plans on West Washington Street could be used for the residents to view at an open house to provide input on. Ms. Chrisse explained the RFQ process and the type of firms that the City will be looking for to conduct the work. Commissioner Phalen stated that past plans should be built upon. Commissioner Kolode stressed the importance of identifying tangible milestones. Mr. Sterrett and Ms. Chrisse went through the past plans related to the West Washington Street site including a URS plan from 2011 that included City Hall, Police Department, a reuse of the historic train depot, commercial development along Washington Street and Fremont Street, an extension of McConnell Avenue, and a recreation center. Mr. Sterrett pointed out that the earliest iteration of the plans did not include realignment of Fremont/Main Street. Following the adoption of this Plan, the Park District moved forward with a recreation center at Reed Kepler. 475 Main Street T 630.293.2200 Daniel Bovey MAYOR West Chicago, Illinois F 630.293.3028 Viviana Ramirez 60185 westchicago.org CITY ADMINISTRATOR ===== PDF PAGE 3 ===== [Extraction: embedded PDF text] Ms. Chrisse went through the CMAP HOMES for a Changing Region Plan from 2017. There were several similarities between the URS and CMAP plan but there was an increase in residential stock. Mr. Sterrett went through the Central Main Street Redevelopment Plan and there were few changes between the previous plans and the Central Main Street Plan. Ms. Chrisse went through an architectural assessment that was performed in 2017 for repurposing the train depot at West Washington Street. Mr. Sterrett went through the Comprehensive Plan and how it related to the train depot. Ms. Chrisse touched on past ideas for how the train depot could be used. The Commissioners discussed how the train depot could be used for common open space as well as the pros and cons of adding a street that would come off Washington Street to access the site. Ms. Chrisse went through various iterations of staff prepared plans for the West Washington Street site related to relocating City Hall at this property, which included commercial, parking structure, relocated depot, pedestrian plaza, and water tower relocation. Mr. Sterrett touched on another iteration that incorporated more open space and park amenities. Ms. Chrisse discussed the iteration of a relocated City Hall plan that was discussed by the City Council in 2024. Staff and the Commission further discussed ways to reduce or potentially eliminate the truck traffic that goes downtown to existing industrial areas to the north. The Commissioners discussed this industrial area and how multi-family residential would be a more logical land use to complement the downtown. Mayor Bovey went through his concept plan for West Washington Street and the need for third spaces which would include a public plaza, known as a zócalo. The plan also includes turning the building at the hard corner of Main/Fremont and Washington into a food hall for entrepreneurs. Retail vendors would also be included in the food hall. The train depot would remain and be utilized as a public space. Old train cars would be reused as small shops similar to the board walk shops in Batavia and Warrenville. The area could also be used as an open space for various pop up events by outside organizations as well as for farmers markets. Coworking space for incubators from various industries including food/beverage, retail, arts, trades, and professionals. The Plan also includes futsal fields and other recreational amenities. Mayor Bovey also indicated various potential funding sources for this plan. The Commission went on to discuss aspects of each plan and what seems positive. Commissioner Kolode liked the realignment of the prairie path and to tie into Reed Kepler Park. Also, the involvement with the trades and food in the downtown to tie into the School District. Commissioner Myers liked the concept of boardwalk shops and a large covered space as well as an outdoor theater and pickleball and Futsal. Focus should be on the hard corner at first. Consideration of where Gallery 200 should go if a food hall were to come in and to incorporate art into the area. Commissioner Ballines stated that futsal and pickleball are a good idea as was parking on a one-way street. The train depot should also be incorporated into a concept. Commissioner Phalen was not opposed to relocating the train depot so it is located near the other historic train depot. She stated that the railroad history and culture should be incorporated into a concept. Also that there should be less focus on food at the high visibility of the intersection because people will seek food out already. Consider the construction of Main Street in the next year. Commissioner Sabathne indicated that the boardwalk shop design is good. Commissioner Myers wanted to see an increase in foot traffic in the downtown. The Commission as a whole discussed whether the plan should have residential, open space and fields, and a realignment of 475 Main Street T 630.293.2200 Daniel Bovey MAYOR West Chicago, Illinois F 630.293.3028 Viviana Ramirez 60185 westchicago.org CITY ADMINISTRATOR ===== PDF PAGE 4 ===== [Extraction: embedded PDF text] Fremont Street and Main Street. Staff will identify remaining questions and items to consider prior to going out to bid. There is a strong desire to incorporate public feedback as part of the process early on. 5. Adjournment Commissioner Sabathne made a motion to adjourn, which was seconded by Commissioner Kolode The motion carried unanimously by voice vote. The meeting adjourned at 8:42 p.m. 475 Main Street T 630.293.2200 Daniel Bovey MAYOR West Chicago, Illinois F 630.293.3028 Viviana Ramirez 60185 westchicago.org CITY ADMINISTRATOR