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Council approves zoning, requests stimulus money to repair damaged water main
Joe Astrouski / City Editor
Issue date: 2/3/09 Section: News
Although the national economy continues to slump, the Charleston City Council will spend part of its meeting today discussing one business' plan to expand.
The owners of Gavina Graphics at 1920 18th St. plan to build a 1,652-square-foot addition to their business, bringing the building's size to 8,830 square feet.
"The addition won't be visible from the street," said City Clerk Deborah Muller. "It would cover a greater percentage of the land than (zoning regulations allow)."
That means the city would have to approve a "maximum building coverage variance" to allow for the addition. Muller said the owners have told the city they will hire more workers after finishing the addition, though they have not said how many.
The council will also consider a "zoning variance" for a new apartment building at 1701 9th St.
The proposed two-story building, which would include four four-bedroom apartments, would replace two rental houses, Muller said.
The council will also decide whether to request a loan from the Illinois Commerce Department's Community Development Assistance Program.
The program loan, which could be as much as $350,000, would be used to replace the 125-year-old water main that runs from McKinley Avenue to Lincoln Avenue, Muller said.
Replacing the water main will cost the city an estimated $750,567, she said.
"Anytime there is funding, so that taxpayers here don't have to foot all of the bill … that would be helpful," Muller said.
City officials have requested money from any future national economic stimulus plan to help fund the project.
An announcement will also proclaim February Black History Month in Charleston. The City Council meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. today at City Hall, 520 Jackson Avenue.
Joe Astrouski can be reached at 581-7945 or at jmastrouski@eiu.edu.
The owners of Gavina Graphics at 1920 18th St. plan to build a 1,652-square-foot addition to their business, bringing the building's size to 8,830 square feet.
"The addition won't be visible from the street," said City Clerk Deborah Muller. "It would cover a greater percentage of the land than (zoning regulations allow)."
That means the city would have to approve a "maximum building coverage variance" to allow for the addition. Muller said the owners have told the city they will hire more workers after finishing the addition, though they have not said how many.
The council will also consider a "zoning variance" for a new apartment building at 1701 9th St.
The proposed two-story building, which would include four four-bedroom apartments, would replace two rental houses, Muller said.
The council will also decide whether to request a loan from the Illinois Commerce Department's Community Development Assistance Program.
The program loan, which could be as much as $350,000, would be used to replace the 125-year-old water main that runs from McKinley Avenue to Lincoln Avenue, Muller said.
Replacing the water main will cost the city an estimated $750,567, she said.
"Anytime there is funding, so that taxpayers here don't have to foot all of the bill … that would be helpful," Muller said.
City officials have requested money from any future national economic stimulus plan to help fund the project.
An announcement will also proclaim February Black History Month in Charleston. The City Council meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. today at City Hall, 520 Jackson Avenue.
Joe Astrouski can be reached at 581-7945 or at jmastrouski@eiu.edu.
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