Geneva developer and landlord Joe Stanton has terrific insight about property development in downtown Geneva. Here are some of his thoughts on vacant spaces, from Hamilton Street to the East Side.
It's amazing what a 17-minute conversation can mean when the person you're talking to is Joe Stanton. Few people know more about what's happening with downtown Geneva properties. Fewer still—if any—have his credentials as a developer, landlord, businessman and Geneva cheerleader. Five stories came from that 17-minute conversation after the May 6 City Council meeting ended early. This is the fifth of that series—a roundup of some of the topics covered in that quick Q&A. ARE YOU DOING WELL? "All my buildings had to be remortgaged over the years. We carried a lot of tenants who couldn’t pay, but we didn’t want the storefronts empty because that didn’t benefit my other tenants. There were quite a few cases where we had tenants who paid the…
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Keep your eyes peeled for the Grand Opening information, happening in early June.
This just in: Two Bostons pet store in Naperville is going to open in Geneva! They're not saying where, but the when is in June. Patch has an email in to them now, and we'll tell you more as soon as we know more. Two Bostons has two locations in Naperville: 103 W. Jefferson St. and 2523 W. 75th St. The store is "not your average pet supply store," accoring to the Two Bostons website. The owners are Andy and AdreAnne Tesene, and they are about the most enthusiastic and fun pet store owners you can imagine. They sound like a great fit for Geneva. "One of the really cool qualities about the Two Bostons team is that we truly enjoy what we are doing and are extremely customer focused. Saying we provide excellent customer service is both cliché …
More than a year after the death knell was sounded by a certain former Patch columnist, downtown Geneva is showing resurgence, tenacity and good health.
Geneva developer and landlord Joe Stanton says the death of downtown Geneva was greatly exaggerated. Former Geneva Patch columnist Jeff Ward started sounding the death knell of the downtown in a column that ran in October 2011 headlined, "Why I Think Our Downtown Will Disappear." As late as mid 2012, three of the four corners of Third Street and State Street were vacant—the State Bank building on the southwest corner, the Merra-Lee building on the southeast corner and the Erday building on the northwest corner, which was vacated by Kiss the Sky on June 30, 2012. Only Starbucks remained on the corner that defines Geneva's two major downtown business thoroughfares. Then came news that Grunwald Jewelers was leaving, due to retirement, and …
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4:01 pm on Friday, May 17, 2013
Jeff; SERIOUSLY? You have not heard of Bien Trucha? Under a rock you are, perhaps? It it the ONLY restaurant i can recall in MY recent lifetime that has a WAITING line on the front sidewalk. It's even been on Check Please! more ›
Second in a Series: Geneva businessman and development Joe Stanton has a new tenant: Geneva Park District, which is going to take over the space that once was the Geneva Underground Playhouse.
More evidence of an upturn in downtown development comes with the news that theGeneva Park District has leased the former Geneva Underground Playhouse space, with plans to start a community theater program, Joe Stanton said in a brief interview Monday. "We just wrapped up the leases on that," he said. The Park District will take over the space at 524 W. State St., in the Stanton Building that once held the non-profit theater group that had existed in large part because of the donated time of its various board members and Stanton's largess as landlord. The GUP opened in May 2009 with a production of Gore Vidal’s The Best Man and held 14 major productions until it announced its closing on Feb. 18. "We carried them for years hoping it …
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First in a Series: Geneva businessman and development Joe Stanton says he'd love to see a restaurant return to the iconic riverfront property, but a more likely scenario would be high-density riverfront living.
News Flash: Joe Stanton has made a bid on the Mill Race Inn property. And he's not alone. "I actually have an offer in on the Mill Race property, as do a few other people," Stanton said during an interview after Monday's City Council meeting. The property has gone into foreclosure, so the price has dropped by more than $1.3 million from its listing a year ago. "I think the bank has been realistic on what they want on it, so I would assume a deal would be forthcoming pretty soon," Stanton said. Stanton has no illusions about the challenges of developing the site, which very likely suffered some additional damage in the Great Flood of 2013. "You have a building next to the river that’s been vacant, and without air conditioners or heaters …
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6:38 pm on Friday, May 10, 2013
It would be wonderful if the Mill Race could be restored to the beautiful landmark it once was. I have fond memories of a rehearsal dinner there almost 40 years ago. I attended many a baby and bridal shower in that restaurant. It was a great place to meet with out of town relatives for Christmas and dining with friends ringing in the New Year and it brought tourists to the town. The food used to … more ›
Of course, the catch is you have to move it.
You can have this house for a song, and maybe as cheap as a buck. What's the catch? Well, you have to move it, is all. The city of Geneva purchased the property at 617 East State St. on Feb. 22, 2013 for a price of $95,000. Funds from the TIF Fund were used to purchase the property, according to a report in Monday's City Council packet. The city's intent is to "stimulate the economic growth of the East State Street corridor by assembling properties and/or working with investors to best develop potential commercial parcels." The property will be declared surplus once it's sold. The first, best option as far as the city is concerned would be for someone to buy the house and move it to another location. If no one wants it, the city will seek …
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6:18 pm on Thursday, April 18, 2013
Sorry to see old Phils house deserted he was a decent carrying man who loved his cats and feed the birds everyday. I remember once he told me that the house had been in their family for a couple generations? I can't be sure I knew him and his mother they used to have a 34 pound cat that was just amazing like a small tabby dog! more ›
But should this lot be used for employee parking or the standard three hours?
Downtown Geneva's best-kept parking secret is a secret no more. At Monday's City Council meeting, The Little Traveler (aka The Big Traveler) owner Mike Simon, once a member of the "erstwhile" Joint Parking Committee, suggested that the under-advertised and under-utilized parking lot between Campbell and James Street be turned into a lot for employees. "We tried very hard to create parking for employees, with limited success," Simon said. "The lot (formally known as the Notollini property) was assigned for three-hour parking, and it’s not being used. In short, people don’t know the lot exists." That might not be for long, however. Public Works Director Dan Dinges told the City Council new signage would be going up with a couple weeks that …
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9:31 am on Thursday, April 4, 2013
My concern with this is that the City is also considering turning that ugly, old alley just south of the History Center and that runs from Third St. back to the new parking lot, into a very attractive pedestrian mall that will beautify the area, attract pedestrians, and serve as an attractive meeting place and walkway from the new lot to Third St. It is my understanding that if the new lot is to … more ›
"Because after 91 years, we're tired of everyone calling us 'little,' " co-owner Mike Simon says.
Mike Simon, co-owner of The Little Traveler in downtown Geneva, announced this morning that the name of the 91-year-old store will be changing beginning this week to better reflect the true nature of the store. Though its ownership, merchandise, and staff will be the same, its name will now be “The Big Traveler.” “We decided that, after all these years, it would be a good idea to have the name of the store more accurately reflect what our store is,” said Simon, “There’s not much that’s little about us anymore.” "The only change that will be evident to the public, besides the name change itself, will be a modest redesign of the store’s logo," Simon says “The cherub (the little boy) on our logo has been redesigned slightly. Although it’s …
6:38 am on Tuesday, April 2, 2013
In case you missed it, here's a great April Fool's gag that Sherie McGowen at Cocoon did on the Sudden Values page yesterday: http://foxvalley.suddenvalues.com/sudden/campaigns/view.cfm?cid=136840&email=mry98@aol.com&TID=319&OID=2970&SID=6516626 more ›
The former St. Charles Bank & Trust is open in the building west of the Pure Oil building drive-through.
Geneva Bank & Trust is open for business and celebrated March 21 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The former St. Charles Bank & Trust is located at 514 W. State St., just west of the distinctive and historic Pure Oil building, which now serves as its drive through. City of Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns and Geneva Chamber of Commerce President Jean Gaines held the ribbon along with Geneva Bank & Trust employees, President Tom Hansen, Vice President and Bank Manager Darla Yhost, Assistant Bank Manager Debbie Fee and CEO Rich Davis. The Pure Oil Building has been nominated for a position on the National Register of Historic Places. The building had been faced with demolition but was saved after public discussion and revews by the Historic …
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12:03 pm on Sunday, March 31, 2013
Nice to have a single picture of all the people that wanted to tear down the Pure Oil building. They'll never see a dime of my money. Don't be fooled by the warm and fuzzy "Geneva Bank & Trust" naming either. It is just a subsidiary of the St. Charles bank that goes around naming the branches after whatever town they're located in so you think you're banking "locally". Fortunately, this bank isn'… more ›
The following information was supplied by the Geneva Police Department. Where arrests or charges are mentioned, it does not indicate a conviction.
A Hummer hit a pedestrian at the intersection of State and First streets in downtown Geneva, resulting in charges filed against the driver, Geneva police reports said. Geneva police arrested Chad D. Swaggerty, 40, of Elgin on charges of driving without a proper license or permit and violating pedestrian’s right of way at a crosswalk after his Hummer H3 collided with a pedestrian around 11:25 a.m. March 6 at the intersection of State Street and South First Street, Geneva police reports said. The pedestrian, Bruce Thomas, 24, of Geneva, was walking west on the sidewalk on the south side of the 0-99 block of West State Street when he stepped into the crosswalk and was struck by the Hummer, which was travelling north attempting to turn right …
3:20 pm on Monday, March 18, 2013
This isn't supposed to happen in Geneva! I have been told so!! more ›
Greg S
3:12 pm on Thursday, May 16, 2013
What's the mystery, Doggie Divine on State St has had a sign in their window for at least a week about Two Bostons taking over the retail side of the shop. I like the Naperville store and hope they make a good 'fit' with DD...though I'll probably stick with the Naperville store as everytime I think of DD I can't help but remember the uber-close trim they did on my dog's butt that had him jumping … more ›