Skokie Vision 6

Skokie Vision #6: As the new Skokie Farmers’ Market Winter Market on Main takes off, this seems like an appropriate time to discuss the vacant storefronts that sit on Main Street and in our other neighborhoods. There's no reason we can't have a "both/and" in Skokie when it comes to sustaining thriving businesses at Westfield Old Orchard Mall and in our local commercial districts. The Village been moving in the right direction with an aptly named "Economic Vitality Coordinator." And thanks to the grassroots Meetup on Main, led by Lissa Levy (who is also running as an Independent District Trustee in the upcoming election), we know how to coalesce diverse visions into "no small plans."

The punch line is intentionality. This means action based on an end point, a vision. Listen to Carol White, Skokie's Economic Vitality Coordinator, in this recent CBS News clip, because she is instructive and constructive both. The strategic work she has done to boost small businesses on behalf of the Village could apply to a plan for mixed-income housing and environmentally-conscious development:

"It's got to be the right mix. You don't just open your doors and say, 'All restaurants come in.' So we balance that with fitness; we balance that with boutiques... We started meeting together on a monthly basis with all the businesses, hearing their challenges and hearing them share their successes and help to plan." In other words, Village is listening, spending money, "filling gaps."

The news story doesn't mention that Old Orchard is a huge reason why businesses on Oakton closed. But the point is that the "free market" isn't autonomous. Intentional, "serious effort" by the Village is needed if we want a diversity of thriving businesses to meet the needs of diverse people.

As Trustee, I would make sure that we don't approach economic development from a stance of desperation, and instead make it easy for those who share our vision of an inclusive, sustainable community to put their shingle up here.