McLean County Times

At its April 24 council meeting, township officials from Bloomington were presented with an item for approval for a new bus transfer station in the downtown area at 202 West Market St. 

City manager Tim Gleason told the board the resolution was for formal approval and a decision on the location of the transfer station, saying that other resolutions would come before the board at future council meetings as specific decisions and details would need to be confirmed. 

"Honestly, I thought the Market Street garage was the best" Alderwoman Julie Emig said. "Not because it's perfect, not because it's ideal, but because we have a real stake as being current owners of this location. We have a real opportunity because this garage is past its use and we have continued to kick the ball down the road. I think if we start on the ground floor, we can build in and address a lot of the concerns in terms of ADA compliance, (and) its location. There are opportunities now for mixed-use development for green energy. I think it just provides us with more options to go a collaborative route. So I'm really glad that this proposal is on the floor today and I will be supporting it."

Other leaders felt the plan needed more detail. 

“I do not want to downplay the importance of the resolution tonight, but there is far more to do regarding this development in the future" Gleason said. 

According to the city report on the agenda item, the parking garage has reached the end of its useful life and has cost the city much in repairs in recent years. Because of this, and its centrality and access, the city determined that redeveloping it for the transfer station would meet several city goals and be the best step forward. The city has not yet determined if it will sell the property to Connect Transit or issue a lease with them, as that will be one of several decisions made about the project in the coming years.

Council reaction to the resolution was somewhat mixed, with several excited about the prospect of redevelopment and moving forward, while others, like Alderman Grant Walch, were concerned because council was being asked to approve something that did not have a formal plan.

“And so it concerns me that we aren't doing our due diligence in approving this as a site for the residents and the citizens here in Bloomington without a site plan,” Walch said. He felt it might cause issues in the future as council will feel obligated to move forward with the project no matter what problems or questions arise. 

City manager Gleason said he understood the concerns, and promised that the city would be working hard to ensure that any users of that parking garage would be able to find alternate parking spaces so that their lives would not be disrupted. The efficacy of transportation in the city and the ability for the city and Connect Transit to gain federal support and funding were also discussed. Eventually, the council passed the vote, with council members Donna Boelen and Walch voting in opposition.