Benjamin Moore Paints To Launch "Main Street Matters," Its Biggest Ever Multi-Platform Campaign To Revitalize Cities And Towns Across North America
"Our Main Streets are the vital hubs
of our communities - and Benjamin Moore and our network of independent
dealers have always been integral parts of Main Street," said David
Melançon, Chief Marketing Officer of Benjamin Moore. "This investment
we're making in communities around North America is core to our business
and to who we are; Main Streets make us who we are and we're proud to
honor that with this effort.
Benjamin Moore will not only provide the paint and supplies needed
for façades, porches, railings, shutters and other exterior building
trims, but its color experts will consult on the best choices to enhance
the architectural style, regional influences and historic references in
each community. Skilled professional painters, many of them members of
the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America, will be hired,
putting another segment of local business to work along with the local
Benjamin Moore retailer who will be mixing the paints that are used.
To read the rest of the article follow the link.
Many of us know this here in Peru but surely don't know how to make that happen.
41 comments:
Perhaps Peru needs to designate one of their officials to be in charge of Main Street (downtown, east and west). The freshly planted flowers are surely a first step but what should be the next. This promotion by Benjamin Moore is one I have heard on the radio the last several mornings and it set me to thinking about what ways we as citizens of this city can do or encourage officials to do to make our city look more inviting.
The east end of Route 6 is freguently overlooked as not being a part of our main business district but stop and take a closer look and there are many long time businesses there that are very successful and I was impressed with the attitude of some business owners when the volunteers planted flowers there. Westclox has added some new businesses and one that has advertised heavily on FB is the Suite 408, a music and art studio business.
There is a State Senators office and our ambulance also located there, along with the Carus building and parking lot.
Is there anything that you can see that would make these areas look more inviting.
Anon 12:25 What I see that would make these areas look more inviting is a vision of a new Asst. Bldg. Insp. Wasn't a firm putting up a million dollar building on the old hotel lot and the Building Planning Commission harrassed the firm so much they disbanded their plans. This is the commission Mayor Harl is a member of. Does anyone know why this project was harassed so much?
There are entire blocks in downtown Peru that are not worth a million dollars. Good job Mayor, thats progress?
Anon 11:30 It was the design and review committee which netpicked the Test Corporation, who had purchased the Peru Hotel property from the city at a higher cost than appraised for, $81,000, until they put their engineering plans away and bought the old Coke Cola building.
There has never been a explanation of why any of this transpired.
The only reason that can be reached is that there are people with say so that do not want downtown Peru to be of any success and are getting their way until if ever they are challanged. Their thoughts are Shooting Park Road and North and would like everyone to forget anything south.
The last few years have offered numerous opportunities for a redevelopment of the downtown area but each have been passed by unfortunetly which is burying the area for future progress.
7:38 PM
Shooting Park Road is certainly not what I would even give any consideration to as being a part of what is commonly called "Main Street" This lack of interest in not actually doing something about 4th Street reflects very badly upon our city officials. A friend of mine commented about the roads in the city and that people could not blame the mayor for the decisions as to what roads to repair in the residential areas because the Mayors concerns are the business areas to the north. Think about this as all of the projects he has put effort into changing and not always for the better, concern the areas to the north. Think North Peoria, Easkas, Venture Drive, old Holiday Inn and old Howard Johnsons to name a few of them.
Check out all of the La Salle TIF signs off of north charters street.(old airport road)
Lois have you ever met anyone, young or old, that had a vision for downtown Peru? I would just like to speak to someone, doesn't matter if they are elected or not, to see what thoughts are in their mind for Peru
Those projects and concerns of the mayor's (up north) have cost the city a great deal of money and continue to do so. I don't see where or when the city will recoup their losses.
Anon 8:40 if these projects and concerns of the mayors have cost and continue to cost the city a great deal of unrecoupable money how did he get 35% of the vote to be reelected? Did you vote for him? I didn't!
Could someone please verify what the present status of Office Max is in Peru and Ottawa?
I hope that what I am hearing is not true? I don't know the number employed in Peru and the number employed in Ottawa but it is huge?
Say a prayer for these employees that their jobs remain here?
Peru has not had a employer move into town since the last Mayor which is over four years ago. Is anyone in Peru hiring or had a increase in wages recently?
Has the contested TIF that Peru was having difficulties getting accomplished been decided upon yet? How much in attorney fees did it cost the city. I don't recall any TIF having the problems passing that this has had.
12:37 PM
Union members, city employees, job security donors, union friends and uninformed people.
12:37 I'm 8:40 and no I did not vote for him. I think Lois answered your question as to how he got re-elected (i.e. 5:03 May 31st posting).
I understand if no one wants to answer my question at 10:48. No one in this town cares about the future of Peru. time to move on
12:14PM
I have always felt that downtown Peru should encourage small business to come there. When Peru was being redeveloped with buildings like the Mirror Bldg, I felt it was wrong. You needed businesses that were specialty shops and restaurants and even delis. And then you needed EVENTS in town to bring people in. Can you expand upon that?
Anon 12:14 Because no one answered you,does not mean that no one cares. The present conditions of downtown are a situation created by the present administration and committees appointed by the present administration. The negative approach plus general appearance of downtown is the fault of Harl and company. How long ago was the street sweeper used downtown? It is a fact that it is used on 7th street, Route 251and Water Street much more often than downtown.
Downtown has been the constant recipent of a slap in the face from Harl. For example when the 175th parade was not routed downtown or were any of the celebration activities, also the failure to acquire the Amcore Bank and its vast amount of property for a civic center or other uses. It was available for $25,000 or less, and the city would have not had to pay property taxes on it. This adminisration would rather place a fence in front of it blocking off the sidewalk and see it sit empty.
With the attitude of this administration no one is investing money in downtown Peru. This administration would rather go north of Interstate 80 and buy a dilapidated motel for $275,000, demolish it and than find out how much they are going to lose on the venture.
City officials should be contacting universities to have a team brought in with ideas. Some schools do this for free to get students experience. They also would supply creative financing ideas to help keep costs down.
Presently downtown Peru has to have a TIF or similar financcing program implemented to make it more attractive for investors. I don't belive there would be the objections raised to this TIF that have been to the present one the city, Dimminck school board and the high school have been fighting for years as attorney fees keep adding up. Downtown has a need and would not recieve objections.
I never asked if you could give me the problems, I can see them for myself. I asked if you could point me to someone with solutions. Plain and simple. I want to stand behind a visionary, not a negative crowd.
Anon 7:38
TEST didn't build because the final cost of building would have been over 1 million and they couldn't afford it!!
We need someone with vision as a business person, someone who can bring small and large businesses to town. We keep circulating the same names for mayor and we keep getting the same results. No new jobs, no new business. I believe there is that candidate in town but talking him into running after last election might not be easy. I have heard him talk about call center's looking for buildings that could be built up on the far North end and using grants to draw business to locations like KMART, jewel Lays and small locations downtown. We will need someone younger and someone with a vision to grow the city with planning. I hope he decides to run for something else like Mayor this time. We need solid jobs with benefits in our town not running them out. We can plant all the flowers we want, we can fix the roads and the sewers but no one will come without a plan and someone they can partner with and that is not Harl
Love the splash pad photos above Lois. It appears that many towns are keeping up with the times and providing the most popular type entertainment for their children. I wish the leaders of Peru would worry more about their town rather than spending thousands of dollars up north. In my opinion that's an extension of Peru and not Peru itself.
6:43 Which candidate are you referring to?
12:50 PM May 31
Office Max has been bought out by Office Depot is what I have seen in a google search. Details will be finalized this year and some stores will be closed but all that seems undetermined at this time. We don't actually have a store in town so I suppose we will need to wait to see if it fits into the plans of the combined corporation.
12:53 AM
You are right about the escalating price tag on a new TEST bldg. Let me add the real reason is that Mayor Harl established a Design and Review Committee and this group of people examine every proposed new building according to their standards and after they said you must change this and you must change that to get our approval, TEST then decided the cost was too much and did not build. From what I have been able to determine this unneeded committee has worked over every proposed new business construction in this city. I hope that the next mayor of this city will tell the Design and Review Committee to disband and go on their merry way so the city can move forward in a positive manner.
To our Valued IVAC Members:
In moving forward with our plan of over 2 years ago, that there was a real need to upgrade the entire IVAC office operation, evaluate all areas including website, computer hardware and software, operations, productivity, public perception, member relations, job descriptions and skills necessary to move us forward, the following steps have been taken: at the May Executive Committee meeting, the position of Administrative Assistant was eliminated and 2 positions more in line with the needs of the office today put in place. One would be Receptionist/clerk which would be part time and help with the overall activity. The other would be Office Manager/Information Technology Communications Specialist. This second position is to fill a much needed gap in keeping IVAC front and center as it relates to information technology, face book, linkedin, media groups, social media, Chamber Master internal groups in protected areas of the website available to Board, Ambassadors, Committees, while still keeping an eye on the overall activity and events going on through the calendar year. IT and communications skills are crucial as we move forward in the information age – ability to create links to websites and strategic information without having to create our own. This also is a part time position at the present time, but I would hope we could find a way to make it full time or accomplish this much needed activity in a way that would be effective and yet keep the communication flow with the office team.
Marci Duro
Executive Director/CEO
Illinois Valley Area Chamber of Commerce
& Economic Development
1320 Peoria Street ~Peru, IL 61354
815.223.0227
marciduro@ivaced.org
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I certainly hope Mary Kay was not let go from IVAC??? If so, why and what were they thinking??
1112. The only ones who had a vision in this race were hart, giordano and loger and Weberski
Anon 9:37 So what is your conclusion as all four of these not only had a vision the other thing they have in common is that all four lost. Steve Weberski is one of the most qualified candidates that has ever run for office in Peru and Mike Hart lost to a individual who is far less qualified.
4:43 PM
You are so right about the election. Steve was the right man for the job of 4th Ward alderman and if it had been a race of one man versus one other man he would have one. Only the big man in town didn't want it that way because the guy who won would always be a yes vote for the mayor. Just watch the council, he will never vote against the mayor. Of course this happens to be only my opinion and I have the right to voice it as does anyone else who reads the blog.
"won" not one.
Wow Lois, way to turn your back on mr loger. And FYI, you could of added Steve's votes plus mr logers and it still wouldn't have beat Jim lukosus, so your comment of if it would have been one on one doesn't matter
9:59 PM
Not turning my back on Justin, he is a very good person and I hope to see him in our city government at some time in the future. I had his sign in my yard fyi.
Steve has so many more qualifications than our recently re elected alderman and when I found out what happened in the fourth, it literally made me ill as I did not realize to the depths that this administration had sunk.
What are those qualifications?
It is so obvious with this administration that they have one thing on their minds and that is to get rid of those who refuse to "follow the leader". They worked hard to eliminate alderman Mayszak and now their attention has turned completely on alderman Perez. Instead of their meetings spent discussing ways to improve Peru and asking citizens their opinions on how things are going - they argue and argue against anything alderman Perez presents. It's obvious, if you've attended even one meeting, that animosity exists by the entire council against him. It's my tax dollar that the city is spending and I think I'd like to see someone more protective of that dollar. Alderman Potthoff used to be extremely cautious about spending or wasting our tax dollar. Today, not so much. We keep hiring out jobs that were previously done in-house and then they keep telling us it will save us money. How, when we're still paying city employees and now an outside company to do their job? It would be beneficial if at least things were getting done and the city moving forward but I don't see that happening.
People, you just had a election. How could a incumbent be reelected if he is so unpopular, such a poor decision maker and has a bully attitude if not agreed with? The election was less than 2 months ago and you have 46 more months of Mayor Harl in office. What do you propose to do about the city for the next 4 years and what will be done to make sure the same occurance does not take place again?
Anon 11:10 NOTHING! Individual participation is pathetic in Peru. When authors write of a "Nation of Sheep" I nominate Peru as its capital city. Bitch, moan and complain and leave it up to a few to try and get something done.
A town of 10,000 and their is not 100 who have ever stepped forward with a political opinion of their own because they are scared of getting their pinkies bruised.
It is time for the other 9900 to learn that the government is there for them not the other way around. Shame, Shame, Shame
Every time the populace becomes laackadaisical they somehow lose.
1:02 PM
THANK YOU
9:31. I agree about Potthoff not watching our tax dollars carefully any more. Don't forget we are paying $1,000 per month for economic development because Potthoff pushed for it. What is that investment producing in the way of economic development in Peru??
Anon 9:31 You will never know what the $1,000/month for econonmic development in Peru until it happens. Presently it shows strong proof of producing nothing.
Peru also has the expenses of a Economic Development Manager and could anyone inform me of his developments?
At one time IVAC and Mayor Don Baker did development together with a proven history of great success and did not lean on other shoulders.
IVAC is a good idea but the only jobs the other two promoters have created so far are their own.
yes 931, we all agree the bringing in business is a bad idea. Everybody understands that they just drop in and plant a business. We also agree that the city don't need any landscaping from professional firms. Why should Peru look like a progressive city? We also agree that the city shouldn't spend tax dollars to assist with flooding issues. And we all agree that hiring more city employees is the answer as compared to utilizing local private business. Lets get rid of those 7 city council members, Mayor for thinking that Peru can be a progressive city with beautiful parks and willing to work to solve flooding issues.
10:32
he has gotten his personal bills paid for; he has used his position to try and rent out his many properties, and he has added to his property holdings. has he been reappointed?
Peru Developmental Program 2009 - 2013
0 + 0 = 0
0 - 0 = 0
0 X's 0=0
0 divided by 0 = 0
Anon 10:32 Why would he have to be reappointed? The position has never been taken away from him nor has he offered a resignation that he would have to be reappointed. You never lose people who are in these positions they just keep coming back and never disappear. The sad fact is that as inefficient as they are , except for their own self achievements, there are people who think they do good for the town.
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