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LEGAL NOTICE 

Request for Proposals
400 Maine St., Quincy, IL
Great Downtown Site for Retail, Office or Residential Building

 The City of Quincy is accepting redevelopment proposals for 400 Maine St. in Downtown Quincy, IL.  The 198-ft. by 99-ft. property is located at the southeast corner of 4th & Maine Streets, across the street from Washington Park.  The property has access to a public alley at the rear.  Zoning is D3, Downtown Riverfront, allowing for a wide range of residential and commercial uses. Proposals are to be submitted in a sealed envelope to:  Interim Director of Purchasing, 730 Maine Street, Quincy, IL  62301.  The outside of the envelope must be clearly marked, “400 Maine St. Redevelopment Proposal.” 

Proposals will be accepted no later than 4:00 p.m., June 30, 2014.  RFP specifications can be found online at: http://www.quincyil.gov/bids. The City of Quincy reserves the right to waive technicalities and to reject any and all proposals.  The City of Quincy reserves the right to accept the most advantageous proposal for the city.

By order of:
James Murphy
Interim Director of Purchasing

Local Organizations Partnering to Host Entrepreneurship Event at Quincy Mall

Event will be held Saturday, August 10th at 9:30am in the Community Room

[share]Several Quincy area organizations are coming together to host an informational event for current and aspiring entrepreneurs on Saturday, August 10th. The meeting will take place in the Quincy Mall Community Room beginning at 9:30am. The event is free and open to the public.

“We wanted to provide a one-stop learning experience for entrepreneurs at any stage of the process,” said Kimm Minnick, property manager for the Quincy Mall. “We are working with our partners to create a dynamic agenda that includes presentations and time for specific questions.”

The day will begin with a Small Business Development Center presentation outlining the steps to starting a business – including the importance of a business plan and cash management. Lunch will be provided at noon and participants will have an opportunity to network and ask questions. Stations will be set-up during lunch for specific discussions in the areas of financing a small business, marketing and sales, legal and tax issues, and human resources.

According to Charles Bell, director of the Quincy Entrepreneurship Center, planning the event has been a group effort.

“We wanted to get a number of organizations involved so current and prospective small business owners would have access to a wide network of local resources in one place,” Bell said.

The event is being coordinated by GREDF in collaboration with the Small Business Development Center, Quincy Mall, Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce, John Wood Community College, Quincy University, Historic Quincy Business District and Quincy Business and Technology Center.

In addition to the presentations and small group discussions, packets of information will be available outlining where to go for further assistance, local opportunities for training, and schedules of upcoming entrepreneurship events.

There is no cost to attend, and no RSVP is required. Questions may be directed to Megan Backs at GREDF 217.223.4313 or meganb@gredf.org or any of the participating organizations.

[share] Thought we’d share the view from our office today. Construction workers are busy pouring concrete sidewalks outside the new Franklin Square Apartment Complex.

Company officials have told us the completion date is about a month away. For more information, call 319-415-7610.

The second in our series of articles highlighting the remarks of GREDF Board Chairperson, Connie Schroeder at our 2011 Annual Meeting. 

A look back at Quincy’s CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT in 2010…

[share] There continues to be a renewed sense of pride in the Central Business District. This is perhaps best displayed in the new image campaign featuring the “It’s where you work, play, shop” tag line. In June, the Historic Quincy Business District announced survey results that revealed 88% of the commercial storefronts in downtown Quincy are occupied. Executive Director Travis Brown gives credit to entrepreneurs and business owners who continue to see potential and invest in the downtown. 

 These business owners may also be encouraged by the wave of development in the central business district. The $24 million dollar Salvation Army Kroc Center is on track to open in August. Multiple locally-owned restaurants are in various stages of development and have either opened or will open very soon. We are pleased to be working with Noi and Tennille Sonethongkham owners of ‘One: Restaurant and Bar’ which is under construction in the former Adams Cinema at 6^th and Hampshire. The business took advantage of our low-interest loan program to renovate the historic building.

 And just outside where you sit tonight, the Franklin Square Apartment Complex is ahead of schedule for a spring opening. You may recall the Mayor announced the $9.2 million dollar, 42-unit apartment complex at our last annual meeting.

 Senior housing developments are also on the horizon for the downtown. The proposed $13 million dollar senior apartment complex that was originally planned for across the street from the Kroc Center is now being proposed for South Eighth Street at the site of the former Quincy Discount Carpet store. The building is expected to have around 65 one- and two-bedroom apartments as well as a library and computer center. Construction could start this fall. City officials are also cautiously optimistic that the former Newcomb Hotel will be redeveloped into a 98-unit assisted living facility. The City has heard that the Chicago-based developers are currently working on obtaining historic tax credits.  

 All of these housing opportunities are fulfilling the void identified by Teska Associates in 1993 of a residential neighborhood within the central business district. The development of these major projects in harmony with the high-end condominiums we are seeing crop up on the square illustrate the personal commitment and confidence Quincy residents have in the future of the downtown.