Rockford Daybook: Downtown redevelopment, Suffrage plaza celebration, Early garbage pickup
Rockford approves $5M deal for downtown redevelopment
Rockford City Council on Monday approved an agreement for a $5 million plan to redevelop a former Coca-Cola bottling plant into what was described as a family-friendly entertainment complex.
K & K Associates LLC. plans to renovate a blighted 53,917 square foot building located at 505 N. Madison St. near the Prairie Street Brewhouse. The plan is to convert it into an entertainment complex with meeting space. They also plan to construct a pavilion covered with solar panels that would be used for parking with 100 spaces and additional, covered outdoor event space.
Representing the area where the project is located, Ald. Chad Tuneberg, R-3, said it would benefit the entire Madison Street corridor which is slated for a $5 million reconstruction.
Rockford agreed to reimburse the developer for 100% of eligible expenses from the East River Tax Increment Financing District. Rockford will also reimburse the developer $250,000 for parking lot improvements to satisfy a previous city promise for infrastructure improvements along Madison Street.
Celebrate Rockford Women's Suffrage Plaza
The public is invited to celebrate the three-year anniversary of the Rockford Women’s Suffrage Plaza from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday. There will be historic guided tours of the sculpture's various tiles and their connection to Rockford and the suffrage movement.
The sculpture, located at 200 Y Blvd., was a project commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the approval of the 19th Amendment and the 1965 approval of the Voting Rights Act.
Photos: Women’s Suffrage Centennial Sculpture dedicated
More than 200 volunteers participated in the creation of the central tower and the six surrounding benches. The base, tower, and benches celebrate 36 Rockford area and national women of note.
The plaza was dedicated on August 21, 2021
Residential waste pickup early this week because of heat
Due to the projected elevated heat index, Rock River Disposal will begin garbage, recycling and yard waste collection an hour early for Rockford residents beginning Tuesday and for the remainder of the week.
Collection start time will temporarily move from 6 a.m. to 5 a.m.
For questions or more information, call Rock River Disposal at 815-965-2489.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Rockford Daybook: Downtown redevelopment, Suffrage plaza celebration,
