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Resident and online commenters urge action as Evanston downtown vacancies persist
Summary
At the committee meeting, resident Eric Passett criticized continuing downtown retail vacancies, high parking costs and overflowing trash cans; an online commenter asked that any pop‑up consultant be required to demonstrate financial impact and that job descriptions be reviewed.
Public comment at the Economic Development Committee meeting included a local property owner and an online submission calling for concrete metrics and better coordination.
Eric Passett, owner of North Shore Apartments and a 4th Ward resident, told the committee downtown ‘‘feels less lively’’ than in previous decades and that vacancy remains a problem. ‘‘For every new one that opens up, it seems like another one closes,’’ Passett said, citing the expected closure of a coffee shop and uncertainty about a nearby restaurant. He suggested tactics to boost evening foot traffic — for example, occasional free or reduced parking after 5 p.m. — and raised concerns that trash cans downtown fill quickly on busy weekends and are not emptied often enough.
Staff later read an online comment from Lehi Hancher of Oak Avenue, who asked that the city review current job descriptions for economic development and Downtown Evanston staff to clarify responsibilities before hiring another consultant to run pop‑up marketing. Hancher also asked: "Should proven financial data impact to a business and city be a required element of the consultant background information?" The commenter requested staff read the submission verbatim.
The public remarks prefaced a larger committee discussion about a proposed pop‑up incubator pilot; committee members and staff referenced public concerns during that debate.
