County of article: Rock Island County
location of site: E. 1st St. & 4th Ave. E., Milan
"Having more than five times as much space at the new Milan Municipal Building means more room for growth and impressing potential developers.
"Milan staff members left their cramped 7,000-square-foot, one-floor building at 321 2nd Ave. W for the new 35,000-square-foot, two-story municipal building at 405 E. 1st St. on May 19.
"The new building is not completed. A winding stairwell that decorates the building’s main entrance is still waiting for railing to be shipped and installed. A grand opening for the public is planned for mid-June, although a date has not been set.
"Mayor Duane Dawson said the building will cost $7 million to $7.5 million when completed. Most of the cost is being covered with tax-increment financing funds, and the village has promised no general tax increase, the mayor said.
"The new village hall replaces an aging building where staff often doubled up on office space. It also has modern furniture and equipment.
'“I just feel really comfortable here when somebody comes into talk,” Dawson said. “It’s just a much better image for the village.”
"Milan anticipates more economic and residential growth following last year’s opening of the new West Rock River Bridge, officially known as Veterans Memorial Bridge at Carr’s Crossing. Several new housing developments have started near the bridge, and there is still land available south of the crossing.
'"Dawson said a downturn in the economy and housing markets resulted in less growth than the village hoped for in the bridge’s first year, but he thinks the traffic is there and he expects more businesses and residents to move in when the economy improves.
"Annette Ernst, Milan’s economic development director, who used to share a small office with Milan’s village inspectors, said it’s taken some adjustment to get used to her own larger office.
'“It is kind of a reality check,” she said. “It’s much more conducive to bringing people in here (for meetings) and not worrying about interruptions.”
"Dawson said new conference rooms are an advantage.
'“We didn’t have any meeting space before,” Dawson said. “We had to shuffle them around. Sometimes you had to meet with somebody in the hallway.”
"The west wing of the new building houses the clerk’s office on the first floor and administrative offices on the second, including the mayor and Village Administrator Steve Seiver’s offices. The east wing houses the police department, three holding cells and 911 communications center.
"The new village board meeting room is on the first floor. There are also several conference rooms available and a break area.
"“When you’re trying to talk someone into investing millions in Milan, you have to put your best foot forward,” Seiver said.
"Dawson said that when city officials met with other governments that recently built new village or city halls, they were told to make it bigger to accommodate growth. He said some villages were already out of space in their new buildings.
"The new hall already has an office available for a finance director, which the village plans to hire within the coming year, Dawson said. There is also additional office space currently used for storage.
"The building, which sits on the former site of a Burger King restaurant and before that a warehouse, also will be an anchor on the U.S. 67 corridor through town. A new Hy-Vee at the former site of the Milan Showcase Cinemas is just a few blocks south on the other side of Interstate 280.
'“I think this is really going to improve this whole corridor,” Dawson said of the new building. “It’s a main thoroughfare. There is plenty of traffic through here.”
'"Dawson said the former village hall will likely be leased for some time before new owners or a new use for that site can be found.
'"The new building also has room for the police department to expand beyond its current 13-member force if a rise in population warrants it.
"“That’s always a big decision,” Dawson said. “When are you big enough to add another officer?”' ~ Quad-City Times, Dustin Lemmon, May 30, 2008