UTICA REBUILDING PROGRESS
APRIL 2004 TO APRIL 2005
The Village of North Utica was struck by a tornado on April 20, 2004. The following has been accomplished within one year to guide the recovery:
Developed the Utica United Recovery Plan.
Received over $250,0000 in private gifts.
Coordinated numerous volunteers assisting in the recovery effort.
Produced plans and presented to many developers for reinvestment in Utica.
Received Grant rom State DNR for $182,000 for the Utica Riverfront Park.
Sought numerous grants from private corporations and government.
Assisted in processing $425,000 of private insurance claims for the Village.
Received $213,500 of grants from Illinois DECO for planning and streetscape.
Received $75,500 from U.S. Dept. of Commerce – EDA for planning.
Received $13,500 from Illinois Bureau of Tourism – for tourism strategy.
Invited to submit full application to USDA for streetscape funds $100,500.
$1,000,000 committed by Congressman Weller for rebuilding of Route 178.
$4,500,000 total sought from State DOT for Rebuilding Rt. 178.
$600,000 sought from State DOT for Lincoln Street Connector Rt. 178 to Mills.
$270,000 committed from Illinois IEMA for Village and Township buildings.
More than $807,000 from Federal FEMA for Village and Township buildings.
More than $105,000 Federal FEMA funds for new Ambulance Building.
Ambulance and Fire Building Environmental and Archaeology study completed.
Led pro bono planners and landscape architects in planning redevelopment.
New Ambulance and Fire Building designed and bids opened.
Processed $150,000 of claims from Federal Government FEMA.
Main Street promotion received for tourism from Lt Governor.
Received $1,000 from Lt. Governor for Village website.
Hired the North Central Council to develop an Economic Development Plan.
North Central Council began the Downtown Improvement Plan and Tourism Study.
Numerous developers contacted for downtown restoration, economic development.
Gateway signs developed for installation this summer.
North Central Illinois (NCI) Cog applied for grants for water main repair.
North Central Cog applied for grants for riverfront park acquisition.
Major industrial development sites under acquisition near I-80 and Rt. 6.
Purchased Northwest corner of Mills and Church for Memorial
Park landscaped, plaque installed at Mills and Church.
Private Memorial planned for the Milestone site.
NCI Cog applied for grants for Streetscape from CDBG, USDA and EDA
Retained Teng to develop a Streetscape, Signage and Façade Improvement Plan.
Grand Bear Lodge with indoor Water Park and 100-room hotel under construction.
Seventy Grand Bear Lodge town homes constructed and sold, Phase 2 started.
Lt Governor provided for a retail expert to work with local merchants.
Twenty-one possible Town Village Hall sites located, negotiations to purchase underway.
Received Memorial designs from local designers and College of DuPage students.
United Way installed a landscaped “Vision Park” at Mills and Church Street.
Village purchased a memorial plaque for the hero’s and victims of the tornado.
Worked with Corps of Engineers, State DNR, FEMA, IEMA and IDOT on flooding issues.
Village adopted a new updated zoning ordinance for the Village and planning area.
Fermata Inc. included Utica in Illinois River Country Nature Trail for nature base tourism.
A total of $5,407,812 has been spent to repair or rebuild structures.