Romeoville hires marketing firm for downtown center
By Brock A. Stein Correspondent December 6, 2012 8:24AM
Updated: January 11, 2013 6:08AM
In order to attract users to its planned downtown community and events center, the village of Romeoville has hired marketing firm Fred Barofsky Co.
Under the contract, which runs from Dec. 15 until Nov. 1, Barofsky of Oak Brook, will be paid $10,000 per month for its services.
Assistant village administrator Dawn Caldwell said that the firm, which has previous experience marketing similar events centers, would help identify potential users for the Romeoville facility.
“He has a lot of experience in that field,” she said, citing his work with other sports and event facilities.
Under the agreement, the firm will help also market the retail sites along the Route 53 corridor from Honey Tree Drive to 135th Avenue. Barofsky also will oversee a ribbon cutting event for the center and will maintain an office trailer on property near the event center.
Caldwell said that the village hopes to garner interest in the retail properties near the planned event center in addition to attracting business for the facility.
“This is another key piece as we redevelop the Route 53 corridor,” Mayor John Noak said.
In November, the village held a groundbreaking ceremony for the 9.5-acre former Spartan Square retail site near Route 53. The site is intended to serve as the catalyst for a revitalized downtown and east side.
The site will feature a 65,000-square-foot community recreation center and a 23,000-square-foot grocery store with outlots for restaurants and other light retail.
The recreation center will feature two basketball courts, classroom space, an open area with artificial turf, and concession areas.
Under the agreement with the developer, Harbour Contractors of Plainfield, the village will get to program three days of usage of the center each week.
In other business, the village approved the release of construction security bonds for the developer of the Misty Ridge subdivision for public improvements that were completed.
Attorney Rich Vogel said that the village had approved amendments to development plans with various developers during the economic downturn to help facilitate final road paving and other public improvements on subdivisions that were left incomplete after the housing crash.
“That street paving work has now been completed,” Vogel said.
Noak said that completing the final work on the subdivisions in the village is an important step for the residents living in those areas, as well as for the values of their homes.
“We’re probably one of the few communities really getting close to having all of our subdivisions closed out,” he said.
