Demolition Begins to Clear the Way for New Naper Main Development in Downtown Naperville

As you may recall, back in July I wrote a posting about the exicting new Naper Main project which included architectural illustrations published in the Naperville Glancer magazine (An Exciting Vision of the Future as The Naperville Glancer Gives Us Exclusive First Glimpse of New Van Buren and Main Development Planned for Downtown Naperville). 

Driving home on Friday afternoon, I decided to head through dowtown along Main Street to see if there were any signs of the project getting underway.  To my suprise, the two houses which had sat along the east side of Main Street between Benton and Van Buren had comletely disappeared.  As for the brick rectangular building which I believe was once a medical office building, members of the demolition crew could be seen taking a break and throwing rocks through the windows.  By Saturday afternoon, that building had been taken to the ground as well. 

Though it’s always rather shocking to see how quickly familiar houses and buildings can disappear, the ultimate architectural end product of Naper Main will be yet another proud day for Naperville.  SM

Why Stone Soup is a Key Ingredient in Sustaining Future Prosperity for Naperville

Perhaps it’s the fresh crisp Autumn air of Salt Lake City, but my business trip to Utah’s famous urban outpost has me thinking allot about how our community can navigate an even more prosperous future.  How will we manage our success?  How will we respond to adversity?  How will we foster community and economic growth?  

As I slowly walked back to my hotel this evening, after an ironically excellent seafood dinner at Market Street Grill here in downtown Salt Lake City, the legendary childhood tale of Stone Soup came to mind as I further contemplated future scenarios, both good and bad, for our community.

To summarize the tale, Stone Soup is essentially about hungry travelers who come across a small village and decide to take a rest.  With little food to eat, they light a fire and place a pot full of water upon the flames and drop in a single stone.  Curious villagers eventually approach the travelers to determine what’s going on.  The travelers explain they’re making stone soup.  Upon learning of the bland recipe, one-by-one the villagers bring ingredients ranging from potatoes and carrots to salt and pepper.  Eventually, a hearty stew emerges as a result of the cooperative efforts of villagers working together in collaboration with the travelers.  Everyone dined together and the villagers learned that no matter how difficult times got, they knew how to come together to make stone soup.

To me, Stone Soup provides a vital moral for community growth as there are no singular points of origin for the many ingredients which must be assembled to manage growth and elevate prosperity.  It’s more like effective supply-chain economics or what one might call integrated community development.  Success requires the coordinated efforts of many local and non-local stakeholders who possess the key ingredients which can be contributed towards the recipe for achieving and, more importantly, sustaining community prosperity.  

Had the travelers been left alone to their stone soup, they may have ultimately starved.  As for the villagers, if they had not been united to work together, they would never have enjoyed the delicious stew nor would they have realized the powerful value of cooperation.

How does one apply the value of cooperation to Naperville you ask?  The answer resides in understanding the vital, yet not always obvious, inter-relationship between vital community assets/stakeholders.  The degree to which key community stakeholders are able to join together in pursuit and promotion of mutually beneficial community goals will determine ultimate success or failure. 

For example, the business community depends on a high quality system of education to cultivate a highly-skilled workforce which is a key component to a sustaining economic environment which also depends upon a strong tax base to ensure ample funds are available to be appropriated by governmental bodies for transportation and infrastructure which enables civic organizations both the audience and resources to stage events which spur residential and visitor participation in commerce which feeds back into the business community. 

It’s not whether the “chicken comes before the egg”, but rather the chicken working in cooperation with the egg to coordinate a productive chain-of-events.  Put yet another way, and to borrow from my home state’s motto, “United We Stand, Divided We Fall”. 

The hard part comes in trying to build success upon a foundation of success, as success unfortunately tends to breed complacency and insularity.  Perhaps the ultimate remedy is to get back to the basics of making a new and improved batch of stone soup before the existing stew spoils.  “Hunger” is a tremendous motivational force and as a community we must stay hungry in order to sustain the momentum of our success.

Politics, in all forms, is the art of compromise.  Compromise is a result of setting aside divisive differences and focusing on mutually shared interests.  As we move forward in pursuit of a brighter future for Naperville, we must focus less energy on our differences and realize the power of working cooperatively toward mutually beneficial interests.

Who’s ready to make some stone soup?        

Honor the Past – Imagine the Future

Though it’s hard to believe the formal millenium celebration of 2000 is now seven years behind us, the theme of the former White House Millenium Communities Program, “Honor the Past – Imagine the Future”, will forever ring within our hearts here in Naperville.

My youngest son and I recently participated in the full Millenium Carillon tour experience and while I plan to write a full account of our visit very soon (tune back in soon to learn whether or not a three year-old can climb that many steps) this theme, which is incorporated into the visitor center exhibit, suddenly came to life. 

In my mind, few words could better describe the true spirit of Naperville.  Our community’s relenteless preservation of it’s history is rivaled only by a strong devotion toward imagining an even greater future.  Preservation, imagination and visionary progress can only be achieved through the minds and hearts of passionate residents, leaders and volunteers alike. 

The differentiating factor in Naperville is the cooperative and visionary spirit of it’s people.  Any hand can paint a picture but only the heart can make it a masterpiece.

As we imagine our future, it’s important that we continue to work together in shared interest to ensure the preservation of our masterpiece for present and future generations.

If Downtown Naperville Charges for Parking, Will they Continue to Come?

I’ve been observing the ongoing debate regarding the history behind free parking in downtown Naperville and the future funding of additional parking as the allure of the Naperville experience continues to expand.

In the 1970’s, downtown decided to battle back against the rise of indoor shopping malls and strip malls with ample parking by keeping parking free in downtown.  Today, downtown Naperville has survived and thrived amidst the glut of strip malls which stripped away the attraction of downtowns across America in the 70s.

Some suggest that downtown is a strong enough destination to sustain present levels of economic activity while implementing paid parking to fund the additional structures which are needed.  Others turn to the new food and beverage tax which would allow an additional 1% to be added if the majority of downtown restaurants agree.  Still others suggest that restaurants should not be left to shoulder the burden as there are many downtown offices and businesses that occupy parking spaces all day long. 

Today I offer another angle to be considered which perhaps holds the answer to the dilemma.  We must ask residents and visitors alike who frequent downtown Naperville to determine their tolerance for paid parking and the amount they might be willing to pay in maintaining their regular visits.  If we discover, via interviews and survey research, that paid parking would be a deterrent to trips downtown, the answer and potential risk may become very clear.

   

The Future Dimensions of Community Participation and Volunteerism

While skeptics might argue that many parts of our world are becoming increasingly disconnected and irrelevant as the societal dust continues to settle here in the information-saturated internet age, I believe the ongoing evolution of technology will yield expanded interactive opportunities to not only communicate but also to engage in collaborative participation and volunteer our time in ways and at levels which seemed previously inconceivable.

What is social media you ask?  social media, also sometimes referred to as web version 2.0, is the ever-expanding host of internet-based technologies designed to foster two-way interactive online communication between those with uniquely shared interests.  MySpace, Facebook, Second Life, blogs, wikis, text messaging, Linked In, eVite and Meetup are all examples of popular social media technologies.

Using the World of Naperville as an example, this blog has provided not only a source of information but a point of connection between those with either a passion or mere curiosity about our community.  Interaction has taken the form of comments, email exchanges and many face-to-face meetings which have resulted from the online dialogue.  Given the fact I work outside of our community yet have a strong passion for Naperville and orientation toward community activism, this social media tool has not only enabled me to participate in and facilitate dialogue regarding community issues but has also allowed me to make connections with others ranging from local leaders to individuals living on the other side of the country looking to move to the area.

By no means do I consider myself to be what many would call a “digital native”.  I grew up just like many of you in a world of electric typewriters rather than PCs (my dad had two manual Royal typewriters).   I consider myself to be a digitial immigrant or someone who has proactively embraced technology in seeing the evolving mainstream possibilities which will continue to advance our society.   

While many may be quick to dismiss these technologies as a pastime for younger generations, introverts and frightening predators, the new frontier of social media itself is in its infancy and growing up rapidly each and every day.  As a society, we have yet to realize the full potential and application of social media in our traditional mainstream lives.  Largely, I believe social media technology is not as “otherworldly” as it may seem, but rather a new and innovative spin on traditional communication norms and practices.

While the corporate world has attempted to lead the charge in “owning” and leveraging new interactive technologies largely for marketing purposes, the true value of the social media world belongs to any critical mass of people with uniquely shared interests looking to not only engage in meangingful interactive discussion but also to participate in the advancement of thought and activity in the realm of their shared area of interest.  In essence, social media is all about volunteer social participation. 

To realize the true potential of the social internet medium in terms of community participation requires shifting the current paradigm of participation in the minds of community leaders and residents alike.  Further, it may provide some comforting reassurance to understand that social media, by design, could be considered “bridge” technology for it’s potential to transition the online world into traditional face-to-face interaction and participation.  Social media will also continue to remove the traditional cost and barriers of participation in opening up opporutnities to a larger pool of those looking to engage, interact and participate in either the online realm or in person.

Why is participation so important?  The success of Naperville is rooted in the success of its people.  Participation represents a personal investment which instills a sense of belonging/engagement which can ultimately lead to a high degree of loyalty and activism.  As you will recall from previous postings along this same subject line here at the World of Naperville, its the people and the inclusive nature of participation which creates a powerful and memorable experience and comprises the heart and soul of any community.

As next generation versions of social media and internet technology continue to evolve and utilization expands, I encourage all for-profit and not-for-profit organizations within Naperville or any community of like-minded people to see the potential this communication medium represents on a local, regional, national and even global scale.

More to come… SM

     

          

Community Evangelism in Naperville… It’s Not What You Might Think

When it comes to hiring outstanding customer service-oriented employees, “attitude” is often more important than “aptitude”.  Mainly because most business processes and tasks can be taught, while attitude cannot.

Over the weekend, I attended a session presented by Jackie Huba, a thought leader and author who has focused on the rise of mainstream social media and viral marketing.  Two books you might consider purchasing and reading are “Customer Evangelism” and “Citizen Marketer”. 

Customer evangelism is the process by which ordinary people transform themselves into powerful activist marketers as a result of either passion or disappointment for a certain product/service/business and access to social media outlets by which to engage and broadcast their love or disgust for their product or brand.

When I think of Naperville and consider the theories advanced by Jackie Huba, one fundamental point she misses is the fact that customer evangelism starts with solid employee evangelism.  To succeed in building a buzzworthy customer service culture, you need to have great people on the front line who will shape the experience and leave a lasting impression on your customers.  Look for true believers in what you do and the customer-base you serve.  

Naperville, as a whole, is a big brand in and of itself.  As residents, employees and business owners, we all have the opportunity to be community evangelists.  As I’ve addressed in previous posts, we all play a role in shaping the Naperville experience. 

One point I always stress to my member service team is the reality that the person you are talking to, reading an email from or standing face-to-face with may be the 100th person you’ve encountered that day.  But for the individual on the other side, it may be the only time they ever reach out to connect with you, your business or your city.  It’s what I call a moment of truth and we all have the power in our hands to make or break that moment. 

So the next time an unfamiliar face crosses your path or walks into your business, think of what it will mean to them in terms of reinforcing the positive image of Naperville in going out of your way to make that person feel welcome in our community or at your business.  Remember, how you make them feel is what will always matter the most. 

Competition, Marketplace Strategy and Alternative Solution for Downtown Naperville’s Business-Mix Debate

After receiving record hits, a couple of comments, email and even a phone call regarding my attempt to gauge Napervillians concerns over the future of downtown Naperville’s business mix, I’ve been giving the whole situation additional thought over the past couple of days.  Below is a reply I made to a comment I recieved from John M. Gallagher.  John’s original comment can be found at the bottom of my recent “Concerned about the Future of Downtown Naperville’s Business Mix?” posting.     

In my mind, to keep the competitive edge in preserving Naperville’s unique position, we must continue to be proactive as a community on both a public and private level in forging partnerships to study and analyze the evolving needs and interests of visitors and residents alike so that we can  make the right choices for our future. 

The good news is downtown Naperville has a strong degree of allure given our size and demographics.  The community is in a strong position to foster cooperation in being more selective given the needs and desires of our marketplace.   

If we turn our backs and let opportunities slide past us in allowing downtown to price itself out of reach for most new, unique and interesting enterprises as well as the average consumer demographic, we run the risk of losing our allure. 

As a marketing professional, the practice of market research and product development is an essential and evolutionary process.  The goal is to ensure that the entity and marketplace offerings continue to maintain a strong degree of relevancy and alignment with target audiences. 

In simpler terms, the connection between the enterprise and the consumer is, indeed, an ongoing “relationship”.  The investment, or lack thereof, in that relationship can bring about feast or famine.  When you think of the essentials in maintaining a good personal relationship, whether with a friend or spouse, the elements of trust, understanding, personality, connection, validation/satisfaction of needs and communication is paramount.  Maintenance, nurturing and attention is essential on a regular basis to maintain and grow a strong and loyal relationship.  Both the art and science of consumer relationship development is very similar.  Both a consumer relationship and a personal relationship can wither on the vine abruptly and definitively upon the breach of the above elements creating a rapid divergence of mutually shared interest and catastrophic failure.  Unfortunately, when it comes to consumers, breaking up is actually quite “easy” to do compared to ending a valued personal relationship.   

The last thing we want to happen to the broad cross-section of Naperville consumers is for them to arrive at the day when they look around and say “Naperville is no longer relevant or unique to me and my interests”.  

Walt Disney World conducts market research within its theme parks each and every day, always on the lookout for trends, opportunities and weaknesses.  The goal is to get ahead of issues before they become problems and to respond to consumer preferences/trends before they “tune out”.  It’s an evolutionary process designed to mitigate the possibility of a consumer uprising or revolution.  Even more, it decreases the possibility of WDW finding themselves in the business of resorting to desperation in which sudden and revolutionary change is needed to attempt to stop consumer erosion.

With all of this said, I do understand the challenges, limitations and politics behind our community intervening in capitalistic darwinism.  At the same time, the ultimate solution  may be elsewhere.  Perhaps we are focusing our energies too narrowly in thinking business mix and commerce alone will make or break our future. 

I happen to believe there are other ways downtown can solidify its uniqueness even in a chain retail/restaurant-infused world.  I say this because I must confess I have ironically dined at the Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in Austin, Texas which is wedged between the undeniable uniqueness of 4th Street and 6th Street. 

Austin has made its mark largely because of their strong commitment and understanding of the social/economic impact and unique allure of the arts in fostering limitless creative possibilities and understanding.  There are boundless opportunities within our borders for making Naperville a world-class destination for the arts.  If we can bring our collective energies and talents together to cooperate in the establishment of a strong vision for Naperville’s arts future, we may one day find ourselves less worried about Ruth’s Chris and Banana Republic. 

As a matter of fact, the business-mix evolution may occur naturally.  The arts reveal the true multi-dimensional power of independent creative expression… the same energy that drives entrepreneurial thought, success and innovation.  Our lives are enriched by our encounters with art as well as unique and inspiring experiences.  When we become inspired, we “pay it forward” in other areas of our life.  Likewise, our senses are dulled by the repetitious exposure to a homogenized and predictable world. 

Austin has forged a successful path which promotes uniqueness and individuality through its commitment to arts and culture, which also contributes greatly to the local economy and economic development successes.  The town has even supported a creative and enterprising University of Texas at Austin graduate who found the right environment for cultivating his unique idea for a business of which he still operates today in Austin… his name is Michael Dell and the little business he got off the ground is Dell Computers.  The possibilities are, indeed, limitless.

Concerned about the Future of Downtown Naperville’s Business Mix?

Comment from Councilman Bob Fieseler Requests Feedback from World of Naperville Readers

Last week, I wrote a post which alluded to my disappointment in learning our beautiful new European-inspired Naper Main project may include yet another predictable national chain steakhouse and a couple of already abundant national chain retailers at the same time small unique niche businesses face the threat of skyrocketing commercial rent and possible closure in downtown Naperville. 

Given the interests of commercial property owners and developers in their desire to capitalize upon their investment, is there a way our community can rally together to help influence and shape the balance, mix and types of new businesses and organizations which which will inhabit both new commercial development and existing commercial space in downtown Naperville? Do we risk joining the legions of suburban Chicago lifestyle shopping malls such as Oak Brook Centre, Streets of Woodfield or Old Orchard?  How do we preserve and expand the unique Naperville experience amidst the growing imbalance between national chains and unique local small business?      

In response to this posting, I was pleased to find a comment offered by Naperville Councilman Bob Fieseler which invites feedback from Naperville residents regarding these issues.  Rather than relegate such an important dialogue to a sub-chain of comments, I decided to elevate Councilman Fieseler’s comment to a feature posting in which I strongly encourage each of you to provide your own thoughts by posting your own comment.  In addition, you also forward a link to www.naperville.wordpress.com or the direct link to this posting (copy/paste the top headline) to others who you know are interested in this issue.  

Below you will find the complete comment and request from Councilman Fieseler:  

“Regarding the desire for a balance among restaurant types (Bistros v. Steakhouses v. Juice Bars, etc.), and even between restaurants and service/retail establishments, I’d like to hear from others as to whether city government should have a role in effecting such a balance, such as via ordinance or via the approval process for individual development proposals?? For example, should the City Council’s recent approval of the Naper Main project at Main & Van Buren have included some sort of provision on the type of commercial entities permitted in that space, especially at street level?? Thx for your feedback. ~Bob Fieseler (Naperville City Councilman)”

First, I want to extend my deepest thanks to Councilman  Fieseler for his comment.  I think  he raises an extremely interesting question and possible solution for a concern I’m certain has weighed on most Napervillian’s minds as we continue to monitor the evolution of downtown development. 

In the many conversations I have with fellow passionate Napervillians, the consensus tends to rest upon a strong desire to preserve the uniqueness of downtown which includes a stronger focus on the unique one-of-a-kind restaurants/services/retail mix so prevalent throughout the neighborhoods of Chicago versus allowing the scales to be disproportionately tipped toward national retail and restaurant chains which are already abundantly available in nearby suburbs. 

In my mind, as with most things in life, balance and moderation is the key.  National chains are fine so long as it doesn’t come at the cost of unique small business and other worthy entities or organizations.  Commercial property and new development should not be priced so far out of the market that only capital-rich national chains can afford to operate in downtown Naperville. 

Small business and other types of organizations deserve the opportunity to captivate consumers and visitors alike in adding unique one-of-a-kind experiences to our community.  Its the unique experience of Naperville which has set us apart from other communities as a genuine destination compared to your average cookie-cutter lifestyle shopping mall/entertainment complex.

To achieve such a balance and preservation of our strong appeal as a unique destination, our community is faced with the choice of either placing what I think would be an unrealistic reliance on property owners and developers to voluntarily make certain sacrifices in “doing the right thing” to create/preserve a balanced commercial mix or for our community to proactively influence new development and demonstrate support for balance in setting aside a certain amount of commercial space in new projects for the cultivation of appealing small businesses or other entities such as arts organizations, galleries and venues.

Downtown is the heart and soul of Naperville and we must do everything within our power to keep and expand its originality and vibrance.

With that said, I will open it up to each of you to make your own comments regarding this important issue which will likely impact the downtown Naperville experience just as much as the “look and feel” of architectural design.  Also, feel free to forward a link to the World of Naperville or directly to this post to others.  To post a comment, simply click on “comments” below. 

To Councilman Fieseler, I thank you for your leadership, commitment and willingness to seek the feedback of your passionate Naperville constituency.  SM

An Exciting Vision of the Future as The Naperville Glancer Gives Us Exclusive First Glimpse of New Van Buren and Main Development Planned for Downtown Naperville

 

Yesterday, I received the August 2007 issue of The Naperville Glancer in the mail and noticed on the cover what appeared to be a photograph of an attractive downtown Naperville building which I had never seen before.  I curiously rifled through the pages toward the feature article and discovered a stunningly realistic architectural illustration of the proposed new development planned for the corner of Van Buren and Main Street in downtown Naperville.  After I retracted my dropped jaw, the excitement set in as I began to think of how this development will create an exicting new European-influenced layer to the Naperville experience (perhaps a nice French brasserie with indoor and outdoor seating?).

First, I cannot extend enough thanks to The Naperville Glancer for not only providing us this exclusive first look but also for being a terrific community magazine for Naperville.  I’ve been reading the Naperville Glancer ever since arriving in town (when it used to be named  Everything Naperville) and it is a monthly must read for all Napervillians.  To learn more about The Naperville Glancer, visit their website at www.thenapervilleglancer.com .  To subscribe, visit the following link:  http://www.thenapervilleglancer.com/Subscription%20Form.pdf

Second, make a point to get your hands on this copy of the Glancer as the second generation image I posted above does not come close to the architectural illustration published in this month’s Glancer Exclusive. 

The first thing you will notice is the classic European influence in the mixed-use buildings which presents what appears to be six distinct architectural styles in the overall development.  In my mind, this design will raise development in downtown to a new level and be something which Napervillian’s will take great pride.  As for visitors, the unique and aesthetically pleasing elements of the new architecture will be both memorable and buzzworthy. 

The development, itself, is a public-private venture with Naper Main LLC, which the World of Naperville first discussed in a posting back in May entitled “Naper Main LLC Gets Green Light on the New Downtown Naperville Development Project”.

In a recent Naperville Sun article, the term “rave reviews” was used to describe the reaction of the Naperville City Council with one Councilman saying this would be a model for future development in Naperville.  Though there have been some concerns, I think it is safe say the development will likely be approved by the City Council very soon.

For the rest of the details, I would again encourage you to pick up a copy of the new August issue of The Naperville Glancer to get both the exclusive first look at the new development.

News of Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse Coming to Downtown Naperville Makes Me Wonder if Our Restaurant Arteries are Getting a Little Clogged

While I hope to never be the source of false rumors, for some reason I have heard from a number of different sources this week that Ruth’s Chris is considering bringing it’s steakhouse brand to Naperville.  Today, I received my monthly issue of the Naperville Glancer, and the rumors were confirmed within an exclusive story about the exciting new development being planned for the corner of Van Buren and Main Street.  While it difficult to contain my excitement for the new development now that we are seeing an architectural illustration for the first time, I will save my enthusiasm for another posting and focus on the downtown restaurant scene. 

Someone should alert the Exhcange Club that Ribfest may begin to suffer from the year-round “Steakfest” which continues to expand in downtown. 

While I am a carnivore who loves a big juicy rare ribeye steak and can attest to the quality of Ruth’s Chris product offering, one has to wonder how much of the midwestern marbled meat wonder the downtown restaurant market can support.  As it stands, we have Hugos, Sullivans, Catch 35, Teds, Tango and Timpano in a three block radius if you are in the market for high-end beef, with steak-infused derivatives available in all shapes and forms in other downtown restaurants from fajitas to appetizer bites.

If we continue to add more restaurants to the downtown scene, I am in hopes that we might be able to land and support a true original.  Downtown Chicago has Charlie Trotters as a culinary landmark and destination, why can’t Naperville land it’s own desination restaurant landmark.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the restaurants in Downtown Naperville and my family does its share to support their missions, but when 10 West closed I grew concerned that our restaurant scene might end up as a carbon copy of any of a host of Chicago suburbs.

 When you see the architectural illustration of the new development for the first time, you will see a strong European influence that leads me to think that a high quality French brasserie would be the perfect compliment to the new area.  While Bistrot Margot had only a brief run in Naperville, I believe it had more to do with the food quality than Napervillians’ appetite for French cuisine.  Mon Ami Gabi or Brasserie Jo would be two good examples from Chicago that I think would play quite well.  A high-end Naperville French original would be even better.     

Another thought, with the popularity of downtown driving commercial rent skyward, we may one day find ourselves in a position where restaurants which serve expensive fare and alcohol may be the only viable business model for downtown.  I hope that we never get there and that the growth of unique downtown tenants as well as expanded arts offerings can start to keep better balance with the robust restaurant scene.  Even more, let’s please not destroy the presence of unique small businesses in harming the “Naperville experience” that so many other Chicago suburbs are trying hard to replicate today.

The ultimate question that I think we should be asking ourselves is “What can you get in downtown Naperville that you can’t get anywhere else?”.  As the list gets smaller we will become more and more vulnerable to competing neighborhing communities.  I don’t think any of us want that to happen.

There are certainly no easy answers and maintaining Naperville’s popularity will continue to be a balancing act.  Nonetheless, I have confidence in the leaders and advocates of our community to continue advancing a high degree of creative imagination in building downtown Naperville’s future.  Overall, the new Van Buren and Main development project will be a strong example of our community’s cooperation and creativity.  I look forward to writing more soon.

Ultimately, the “experience” will be the key measure.