Next week: Bloomington gateway project back on board of public works agenda

Re-design on which public feedback was south through mid-December 2023.

Looking south along College Avenue near the planned site of the Bloomington gateway. (July 26, 2024)

Proposed site of gate way, posted on from city of Bloomington’s website.

Great blue heron at Miller-Showers Park on July 26, 2024.

Due to start in about a week, on Aug. 5, is the installation of a Bloomington gateway project on the north end of Miller-Showers Park.

The planned location is on the narrow part of the median, where College Avenue and Walnut Street squeeze together as the roadways approach the SR 45/46 bypass.

The design consists of horizontal backlit lettering mounted on limestone blocks. A handful of Callery pear trees (Pyrus calleryana) are supposed to be removed from the median as a part of the project.

The work to install the gateway comes on the heels of a dredging project for the park’s detention ponds, which is supposed to wrap up around the end of July. The gateway is supposed to be completed by mid-November.

The gateway construction schedule comes from next Tuesday’s (July 30) agenda for Bloomington’s three-member board of public works.

The board will be asked to approve the use of city right-of-way for Reed & Sons to complete the site improvements that are planned in connection with the gateway installation. Continue reading “Next week: Bloomington gateway project back on board of public works agenda” →

To sell or not to sell Bloomington’s police station building: Board tees up vote for city council

Board of public works member Kyla Cox Deckard (Dec. 8, 2023)

Board of public works member Elizabeth Karon (Dec. 8, 2023)

Real estate agent Tim Ballard (Dec. 8, 2023)

Bloomington corporation counsel Beth Cate (Dec. 8, 2023)

Bloomington resident David Sabbagh (Dec. 8, 2023)

Police union president Paul Post

Police union vice president Jeffrey Rodgers (Dec. 8, 2023)

Councilmember Matt Flaherty (left) and city council attorney Stephen Lucas (Dec. 8, 2023)

Council president Sue Sgambelluri (Dec. 8, 2023)

Cued up next Wednesday for Bloomington city councilmembers—as the final agenda item for the final scheduled meeting of their four-year terms—is the sale of the city’s police station, which stands on 3rd Street, just north of The Waldron, Hill and Buskirk Park.

That’s the outcome of Friday’s board of public works public hearing, to review three purchase offers.

The board did not recommend that the mayor and city council sell the property to any of the three potential buyers. The board also did not recommend against selling the property.

Instead, the three-member board, all mayoral appointees, voted 2–0 to give no recommendation. That non-recommendation will now go to the city council on Wednesday (Dec. 13) for a vote.

Outgoing mayor John Hamilton administration’s first choice of a buyer is GMS-Pavillion Properties, which after some back-and-forth, offered $4.4 million. Continue reading “To sell or not to sell Bloomington’s police station building: Board tees up vote for city council” →

Griffin Realty to market, generate bids for Bloomington police station

Former deputy mayor Don Griffin (Oct. 10, 2023)

Board of public works from left: Jane Kupersmith, Elizabeth Karon, Kyla Cox Deckard (Oct. 23, 2023)

Bloomington corporation counsel (Oct. 23, 2023)

Looking southeast on 3rd Street. The image is from Google Street View

The aerial image is from Monroe County’s online property lookup system.

Griffin Realty will be marketing and generating bids for Bloomington’s 3rd Street police station, in connection with a notice of sale approved by the board of public works in the last week of September.

According to the professional services agreement that Bloomington mayor John Hamilton was expected to sign this Monday, Griffin Realty will be paid 4 percent of the gross proceeds from the sale of the police station.

If the building sells for the minimum of $3.2 million in the notice of public offering that amount would mean $128,000 for the former deputy mayor, Don Griffin’s firm.

News of the pending contract signing was conveyed to the board of public works by Bloomington corporation counsel Beth Cate at its Monday noon (Oct. 23) work session.

Cate was updating the board, because the contract with Griffin Realty had originally appeared on the board’s Oct. 9 meeting agenda. But the board voted to remove it from the agenda at the administration’s request.

In Cate’s final legal analysis, which she conveyed to the board this Monday, the board was not actually required to approve that kind of contract. So she was there in part to let the board know the real estate services contract would not appear on this week’s Tuesday agenda. Continue reading “Griffin Realty to market, generate bids for Bloomington police station” →

Bloomington board: No action on ‘garbage’, or gateway, or Griffin Realty services for police HQ sale

Former deputy mayor Don Griffin (Oct. 10, 2023)

Rendering of gateway monolith, birdseye view from the southeast.

Joe Davis (Oct. 10, 2023)

Bloomington BPW from left: Jane Kupersmith, Elizabeth Karon, and Kyla Deckard (Oct. 10, 2023)

After two and a half hours on Tuesday night, Bloomington’s board of public works adjourned its meeting without acting on three controversial agenda items.

The items involved: the Miller-Showers gateway project; a professional services agreement with Griffin Realty in connection with the sale of the 3rd Street police station; and the city’s enforcement of city code against “garbage,” which it says Joe Davis is keeping on his South Washington Street property. Continue reading “Bloomington board: No action on ‘garbage’, or gateway, or Griffin Realty services for police HQ sale” →

Bloomington gateway delayed again by board of public works

Rendering of gateway monolith, birdseye view from the southeast.

Excerpt of the maintenance of traffic plan and detours for the construction.

Elizabeth Karon, Bloomington board of public works (Sept. 26, 2023)

Kyla Cox Deckard, Bloomington board of public works (Sept. 26, 2023)

Director of parks operations, Tim Street (Sept. 26, 2023)

Public works director Adam Wason (Sept. 26, 2023)

Tim Street talks with David Ebbinghouse after the board of park commissioners meeting (Sept. 26, 2023)

After Tuesday’s meeting of Bloomington’s board of public works, it’s now not clear when work will start on the installation of a new gateway monolith at the north end of Miller-Showers Park.

In connection with the monolith, public infrastructure improvements are planned in the general vicinity of College Avenue and Old 37.

And those public infrastructure improvements require closure of sidewalks and street lanes—for nearly three months, from Sept. 27 to Dec. 22.

But for the second time in as many meetings, on Tuesday night, Bloomington’s board of public works declined to give permission for the closure of public right-of-way in the area, to allow for the infrastructure improvements.

Based on the response from board members to questions from The B Square immediately following the meeting, it’s not clear if the item will return to the agenda for the board’s next meeting, which is currently set for Oct. 10.

The project has received widespread and fairly uniform criticism, based on its cost and its design aesthetics. Continue reading “Bloomington gateway delayed again by board of public works” →

Delayed by Bloomington board: Right-of-way closures for Miller-Showers city gateway construction

Rendering of gateway monolith, birdseye view from the southeast.

Bloomington board of public works president Kyla Cox Deckard

Board board of public works vice president Elizabeth Karon

Public works director Adam Wason

Parks operations director Tim Street

Engineering field specialist Alex Gray

David Ebbinghouse at the public mic

Planning and transportation director Scott Robinson

Excerpt of the maintenance of traffic plan and detours for the construction.

In a change of plans, over the next few days, Reed & Sons Construction will not be starting onsite preparations for various improvements at the north end of Miller-Showers Park.

The scheduled work is supposed to include a 40-foot tall gateway monument costing about $400,000. The monolith features the word “Bloomington” in all caps inscribed vertically from top to bottom.

What delayed the parks department project was a decision made by Bloomington’s board of public works at its Tuesday night meeting.

In the area of College Avenue and Old 37, Reed & Sons had requested temporary sidewalk and lane closures, with proposed pedestrian detours, in order to make the construction work possible.

But the board voted to put off approval of those right-of-way closures.

Continue reading “Delayed by Bloomington board: Right-of-way closures for Miller-Showers city gateway construction” →

Bloomington boards act on tents, belongings in parks, public right-of-way

Board of public works

Board of public works from left: Jennifer Lloyd, Elizabeth Karon, and Kyla Cox Deckard (Aug. 15, 2023)

District 6 Democratic Party nominee for city council Sydney Zulich (Aug. 15, 2023)

Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce president Eric Spoonmore (Aug. 15, 2023)

Board of park commissioners

Bloomington resident Nick Angelos (Aug. 16, 2023)

Board of park commissioners from left: Israel Herrera, Kathleen Mills, and Ellen Rodkey. (Aug. 16, 2023)

Christopher Emge with the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce (Aug. 16, 2023)

On Tuesday, Bloomington’s board of public works passed a resolution asking that the city council enact an ordinance that will keep the public right-of-way clear of tents or belongings.

It’s not clear when or if the city council will follow the board’s recommendation.

The following day, the board of park commissioners took action, to enact a new policy that essentially prohibits tents in parks. The new policy takes effect on Aug. 23—that’s next Wednesday.

Action by the two boards on successive days is part of a general effort by Bloomington mayor John Hamilton’s administration, to regulate the way Bloomington’s unhoused population is able to use public space.

Director of public works Adam Wason described to the three-member board of public how the draft ordinance would make clear that the police have the legal authority, to immediately clear the right-of-way of someone’s belongings, if they do not respond to a request to move.

Parks and recreation director Paula McDevitt told the board that the intent of the new policy against tents and other makeshift enclosures is to ensure that parks areas can be used and enjoyed “by the whole community.” The way tents are now used in parts has created serious public health and safety risks, due in part to illegal activity, McDevitt said.

McDevitt said the policy does not prohibit unenclosed shade structures, if they don’t shield from public view what is happening under them.

At both meetings, commentary from the public mic in favor of the administration’s position came from business owners, and business advocacy groups—the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, and Downtown Bloomington, Inc.

Public comment against the administration’s approach came from social service workers, members of mutual aid groups like Help Ourselves, and other advocates for the unhoused. Continue reading “Bloomington boards act on tents, belongings in parks, public right-of-way” →

It’s not just parks: Bloomington looking to add law against camping in public right-of-way

B-Line Trail (Aug. 14, 2024)

Walnut Street (Aug. 14, 2024)

B-Line Trail (Aug. 14, 2024)

Bloomington mayor John Hamilton’s administration wants to put a law on the books that prohibits camping or storing personal belongings in the public right-of-way.

To that end, at its Tuesday meeting, Bloomington’s three-member board of public works will consider a resolution that asks the city council to consider a new ordinance against camping in the public right-of-way.

It’s part of a general effort that the administration is now making, to regulate occupancy of public property—in light of its use by many members of the city’s unhoused community.

In addition to the resolution to be considered by the board of public works on Tuesday, the board of park commissioners is set on Wednesday to consider a change in the current policy on tents in parks during the day. Tents are currently allowed.

But under a proposed policy change to be considered at Wednesday’s special board of park commissioners meeting, tents and other “enclosed structures” would be prohibited in public parks. However, “shade structures” would still be allowed.

The draft ordinance that the board of public works will consider recommending to the city council states: “It is unlawful to camp in the right-of-way, store personal property in the right-of-way, or otherwise block the right-of-way in a manner that obstructs pedestrian traffic, vehicular traffic, or public travel on any sidewalk, street, or other public right-of-way.” Continue reading “It’s not just parks: Bloomington looking to add law against camping in public right-of-way” →