Category: News
Neighbors Join in Modest Efforts to Embrace Abandoned Properties
Residents in neighborhoods that make up the Near Northwest and West Side [of South Bend, Indiana] — treasure troves of vernacular architecture — describe what is happening to help solve the abandoned property problem as nothing short of “a movement.” Almost everyone knows someone who bought a deteriorating property on his or her block, with [...]
Read moreICON Monthly Meeting March 26, 7pm
Our ICON meeting will be next Monday, March 26th, 7 p.m., at the First Church of the Brethren, Yale and Ash – SDAT Steering Committee I have invited Lisa Stott, Chuck Pell and other members of the SDAT Steering Committee, Victoria Ringer, and Michael Higgins, to explain how the neighborhoods encircling the downtown area can [...]
Read moreCreating Inner City Suburbs: Blots
Read about the process of “blotting” – homeowners taking possession of adjacent abandoned property to expand small city lots into suburb-sized “blots”. Enterprising homeowners are changing the landscape in many depopulated cities, bringing the look of spacious suburbs to abandoned urban neighborhoods. For less than the cost of an airplane ticket, in some instances, owners [...]
Read moreSSCRPC – Regional Comprehensive Plan – your input needed!
HELP US SHAPE THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY! The Springfield-Sangamon County Regional Planning Commission invites you to participate in the development of a Regional Comprehensive Plan. There are two ways for you to be involved in this process: 1. Attend one of three community workshops to tell us your concerns, values, and desires: March 8th [...]
Read moreHigh Traffic Freight Trains – Public Information Hearing Tuesday 3/6 4-7pm
Illinois Department of Transportation Illinois State Rail Plan Public Information hearing March 6, 2012, from 4 – 7 pm Lincoln Library 326 South 7th Street Springfield IL Please attend this meeting and provide input on how the State of Illinois’ Rail Plan will affect our downtown community!
Read moreFebruary 27 Membership Meeting
ICON Members and Participants: Our February meeting will be next Monday (2/27), 7 p.m., at the First Church of the Brethren, Yale and Ash. Mark Mahoney will be our guest. He will bring us up to date on early results of the new ordinance regarding boarded property. He will also identify the city’s priorities for [...]
Read moreICON Members Get Budget Details from Director McCarty
The ICON membership was provided information and insight into the 2013 proposed budget by Bill McCarty, Director of the Office of Budget & Management, at the January ICON meeting. The proposed budget reflects an emphasis on repaying old debts and doubling the funds for infrastructure. The budget for the Corporate fund, which is only one [...]
Read moreEnos Park area rates 68 in ‘Walkability’
By TIM LANDIS (tim.landis@sj-r.com) The State Journal-Register Posted Feb 04, 2012 Expect to hear a lot about a WALKABLE COMMUNITY in the next few months. Springfield, as a rule, isn’t. We are more of a “car-dependent” city. Members of the Sustainable Design Assistance Team pointed out the city generally is walking-challenged during an initial two-day [...]
Read moreThanksgiving Message from Steve
To ICON Members and Participants Had a great meeting last month! Mark Cullen provided a lot of insight into his philosophy and strategy to eliminating blight in Springfield. As he indicated, the key will be in the enforcement. Our next meeting will be Monday, November 28th after the Thanksgiving weekend. I hope all of you [...]
Read morePizza Party
To ICON Members and Participants We will hold our ICON meeting one week early on Monday, October 24th because of Halloween. We’re also starting a half hour earlier at 6:30 p.m. to have pizza and celebrate the Council’s support to increase fines and set limits on boarded properties. We appreciate the support of aldermen Edwards, [...]
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