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Renaissance Rock IslandRenaissance Rock Island

2013 Annual Report 2013 Annual Report

Development Association of Rock Island (DARI)

Rock Island Economic Growth Corporation (GROWTH)

The Downtown Rock Island Arts & Entertainment District (The District)

25th Anniversary Hard Hat Renaissance Rock Island hosted the silver-themed 25th Annual Hard Hat Awards on December 4 at the recently renovated Holiday Inn in downtown Rock Island. The event recognizes investment in the community and thanks those who have strengthened Rock Island in 2013. Traditionally, Hard Hat awards have been gold, but this year the awards were silver to celebrate the event’s silver anniversary. Silver Brooms, for outstanding maintenance, went to Dee’s Place; DHCU Community Credit Union; Ganson’s Neighborhood Bakery and Cafe; and Herman’s, Inc.

Silver Hammers, for outstanding business investments, went to Billy Puckett State Farm Agency; Family Dollar of Rock Island; Skeleton Key Art and Antiques; Thomas W. Hammar, CPA; and Unley Marine. Silver Shovels, for work in progress, went to Black Hawk Commons; Center for Independent Living; FedEx; Friendship Place; Martin Luther King, Jr. Park; MetroLINK; Modern Woodmen of America; Quad City Botanical Center; 3rd & 11th Townhomes; UnityPoint Health – Trinity; Mayor & City Council Trophy Winner: ATI Products, Inc. Finalists: Augustana College – Center for Student Life; Holiday Inn Rock Island; Rock Island River Terminal Corp.; and St. John’s Lutheran Church. Collette Hinrichsen Award, for outstanding philanthropy, went to Modern Woodmen Bank. CC Wilson Trophy, for most dedicated, went to Daryl Empen. Mo Payton Award, volunteer of the year, went to Phil and Shelly Dingeldein.

This past year was monumental for Renaissance Rock Island and the City of Rock Island as a whole, with many groundbreakings, expansions, and ribbon cuttings as causes for celebration throughout the year. There is no area throughout the city that hasn’t experienced significant private or public investment in 2013. The projects represent well over $140 million in investment in Rock Island. Milestones for GROWTH included receiving $3.5 million through the Illinois Attorney General Foreclosure Settlement Funds, expected to generate a minimum $35 million housing impact for the Northwestern Illinois Housing Coalition; breaking ground on The Locks in downtown Rock Island, the largest GROWTH new construction project to date; significant new partnerships; the closing for the 600th homebuyer assisted; and a record-breaking year for homebuyer education with more than 300 educated, just to name a few. DARI also had a successful year. Some significant DARI successes include participation of a new five year downtown strategic plan, managing more than 20 commercial properties with more in its pipeline; acquiring the historic Star Block; and sustaining its membership with 65 member companies, which are all invested in Rock Island’s success. The District produced many exciting events that brought thousands of visitors to Rock Island to enjoy all that downtown has to offer. The District also launched efforts to encourage and support retail businesses in downtown Rock Island, including those in The Shoppes on 2nd. In 2014, we are looking forward to seeing the completion of many of the projects launched in 2013, making Rock Island an even better place to live, work, and play.

A Year of Milestones and Groundbreakings for Rock Island

A groundbreaking was

held in June for a $61.3

million expansion at

UnityPoint Health —

Trinity Rock Island.

The project is the

largest expansion in the

hospital’s history.

A groundbreaking was held in

May for Phase I of the Quad City

Botanical Center’s

Children’s Garden, a $1.2 million project. 2013 Annual Hard Hat Award Recipients

A groundbreaking was

held in May for a Transit

-Oriented Development,

a combined $9.3 million

project which includes

MetroLINK’s new transit

station and The Locks, a

market rate housing

development.

A groundbreaking was held in March

for Black Hawk Commons, a more

than $10 million development at full

build out along 11th Street.

2013-2014 Renaissance Rock Island Budget

GROWTH Board of Directors

The District Board of Directors Greg Champagne – Retired, City of Rock Island (Chairman) Brett Hitchcock – Circa ‘21 Dinner Playhouse (Vice Chairman) Kyle Peters – Daiquiri Factory (Treasurer) Roger Ruthhart – The Rock Island Argus/The Dispatch (Secretary) Jamie DeRudder – Holiday Inn Rock Island (Past Chair) Jan Masamoto – JTM Concepts Shelly Dingeldein – dphilms Tom Hepner – Gere Dismer Architects Bill Renk – Jumer’s Casino & Hotel Craig Knobloch – Modern Woodmen of America Ben McCready – City of Rock Island

Groundbreakings, Ribbon Cuttings, and Investments

Investment in Rock Island 2013 was an exciting year for projects in Rock Island, with both new businesses opening and existing businesses growing. These businesses made significant financial investments to improve their Rock Island locations and meet customer demand.

Business Development

DARI provides strategic assistance to businesses opening or growing in Rock Island throughout the year and has a strong partnership with the City of Rock Island. The community continued to thrive and grow in 2013 with new and existing businesses investing in Rock Island. DARI provided assistance to nearly 20 businesses throughout Rock Island in 2013, much having to do with facilitating private sector investment in the downtown. This assistance provided by DARI helps ensure that new businesses and projects are successful, or helps the business owners further invest in their existing Rock Island business.

DARI Board of DirectorsA.D. HUESING CORPORATION Denise Ormsby Mark Evers AMERICAN BANK & TRUST Andrew Guzzo Bob Krohn AT&T Dennis Pauley AUGUSTANA COLLEGE Keri Rursch David English BANK ORION Kevin Schoonmaker Butch McCreight BI-STATE REGIONAL COMMISSION Denise Bulat BITUMINOUS INSURANCE COMPANIES Bob Rainey Vince Lamb BLACKHAWK BANK & TRUST Jaci DeRoo Michael Reed BUSH CONSTRUCTION COMPANY A.J. Loss Chris Martens CARPETLAND USA Eric Langan Jason Ciluffo CBS 4 Marshall Porter CENTENNIAL CONTRACTORS Zack Sottos Jayme Massa CITY OF ROCK ISLAND Thomas Thomas CLEAVELAND INSURANCE GROUP Phyllis Schwindt Kevin O’Hara COMMUNITY HEALTH CARE Tom Bowman COUNTRY STONE CRAWFORD HEATING & COOLING COMPANY Troy Green DEERE & COMPANY DISPATCH/ ROCK ISLAND ARGUS Gerald Taylor DUTRAC COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION Jeff Waller ENVIRONET, INC. Molly Arp Newell Jennifer Walker

EVERGREEN LANDSCAPING ASSOCIATES Derek Engstrom FRIENDSHIP MANOR Ted Pappas GAS & ELECTRIC CREDIT UNION Daryl Empen GERE DISMER ARCHITECTS Jeff Dismer HOLIDAY INN Jamie DeRudder IH MISSISSIPPI VALLEY CREDIT UNION Larry Makoben Dennis Hall ILLINOIS CASUALTY COMPANY Arron Sutherland Kathy Springer JOHN PHILLIPS JTM CONCEPTS Jan Masamoto Tracey Masamoto JUMER’S CASINO & HOTEL Therrin Protze Bill Renk KATZ, HUNTOON, & FIEWEGER, P.C. Frank Nowinski Brent Bogen KJWW ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS Brian Wegerer Molly Foley LRC DEVELOPERS, INC. Scott Christianson LRC REAL ESTATE Dan Frieden LANGMAN CONSTRUCTION Chuck Langman Tara Blondell McGLADREY & PULLEN, LLC Cindy Berg MEL FOSTER COMPANY Bill Fitzsimmons MERIDIAN TITLE COMPANY Mark Dilley METROLINK Jeff Nelson Jennifer Garrity MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY MISSMAN INC. Pat Eikenberry Greg Ryckaert MODERN WOODMAN OF AMERICA W. Kenny Massey

PEORIA DISPOSAL COMPANY - PDC LABS Kathy MacBeth PERFORMANCE FOOD GROUP– TPC QUAD CITIES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Tara Barney Paul Rumler QUAD CITY BANK & TRUST Cindy Carlson Paul Schmitt ROBERT YOUNG CENTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH David Deopere ROCK ISLAND-MILAN SCHOOL DISTRICT Mike Oberhaus ROYAL NEIGHBORS OF AMERICA Chris Seistrup RUHL & RUHL REALTORS Chris Beason Caroline Ruhl RUSSELL CONSTRUCTION John Daly SCHWIEBERT LAW P.C. Mark Schwiebert SHIVE-HATTERY ENGINEERS & ARCHITECTS Bruce Harding STECKER GRAPHICS Bob Stecker John Robinson STERN BEVERAGE Matt Stern TERRACON Cale Wilson Carla Duncan THE NATIONAL BANK Lawrence Davis THOMS FAMILY Mike Thoms UNITYPOINT HEALTH – TRINITY Rick Seidler U.S. BANK Chad Ervin VALLEY GROUP Greg Hass Lynn Gibson WELLS FARGO BANK Carrie O’Neill WINSTEIN, KAVENSKY & CUNNINGHAM Craig Kavensky ZIMMERMAN HONDA Mark Zimmerman

Daryl Empen – Gas & Electric Credit Union (Chair) Steve Ollenburg – Modern Woodmen Bank (Vice Chair) Monta Ponsetto – Ruhl & Ruhl (Secretary) Alan Kruse – Pendulum Group (Treasurer) Jane Schneider – KeyStone Neighborhood (Past Chair) Jeff Eder – City of Rock Island Carey Jorgenson – ACC Management Ametra Carrol-Castaneda – Douglas Park Place Sally Gianulis – Downtown Resident Darryl Thompson– House of Fire Ministries Jan Masamoto – JTM Concepts Mike Markell – Greenbush Neighborhood PJ Foley– Alderman Berlinda Tyler-Jamison– UnityPoint Health– Trinity Kimberline Jones– Wells Fargo Evie White – Neighborhood Resident Buzz Robinson – Retired, City of Rock Island Ida Robinson – Retired, Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center Phil Dennis – KeyStone Neighborhood Linda Golden – Retired, Rock Island School District

2013 Board Chairs, from left to right:

Greg Champagne (The District), Daryl Empen (GROWTH),

and Frank Nowinski (DARI)

Quad City Botanical Center’s Children’s

Garden Phase I groundbreaking in May

UnityPoint Health — Trinity Rock Island

expansion groundbreaking in June

Rock Island River Terminal Corp.

facility ribbon cutting in July

Announcement in June that a new

police station will be built

Billy Puckett—State Farm Agent

ribbon cutting in August

Black Hawk Commons groundbreaking

in March

DHCU Community Credit Union ATM ribbon

cutting in November at Embassy Square Mall

Augustana College completed work at

the football stadium and

the Center for Student Life

St. John’s Lutheran Church

expansion completed

MetroLINK Transit Maintenance

Facility is under construction

Friendship Place groundbreaking in September

ATI Products purchased the former

Barjan warehouse in March

Holiday Inn renovations include Grand Ballroom

Crawford Company expansion

ribbon cutting in October

Beth Payne joined the team in 2010 and brings more than five years of business administration, marketing, tourism and hospitality to the organization. As Administration Director, Beth serves multiple functions including advancing communications, marketing homeownership and business development.

Mike Atkins joined the team in 2009. He has more than 30 years experience in real estate lending and counseling homebuyers. As Housing Manager, Mike is responsible for all of the Housing Programs in the organization, including the acquisition and

Ryan Marik joined the team in 2013 as Program Compliance Specialist. Ryan brings six years of experience as a construction engineer assistant to GROWTH and a degree in construction management. Ryan’s duties include overseeing documents directly related to GROWTH programs and maintaining files to

Kerry Mangelsdorf joined the team in 2010 and has more than 24 years of combined experience in retail management and real estate. As Office Management Specialist, Kerry is responsible for managing the office’s day-to-day operations, providing excellent customer service, accepting homebuyer applications, helping staff with technology based questions and a variety of other duties.

Cheryl Schaubroeck has been with the team since 1982 and has over 30 years experience in financial administration. As the Fiscal Director, Cheryl is responsible for all areas of finance, including preparing the annual budget, assisting in the annual audit, and administering funds.

Catherine Rodgers-Ingles has been with the team since 2005, bringing more than 17 years in the entertainment and hospitality industry with her. As Executive Director for The District, Catherine oversees the overall operations and management of The Downtown Rock Island Arts and Entertainment District.

Paul Fessler has managed housing programs for more than 20 years in the Quad Cities. Since joining the team in 2010 as NSP Construction Director, Paul’s main responsibility has been NSP construction management on single and multi-family Developments.

Pam Buckner joined the team in 2005. In 2010, Downtown Property Manager was added to her job description along with Office Support Specialist. She has more than 20 years in customer service and now manages more than 25 downtown commercial and residential properties.

Joe Hintze joined Renaissance Rock Island in 2013 and oversees strategic initiatives at the direction of the President, Brian Hollenback. Joe brings more than 30 years of experience in business and financial management to the team.

Mark Marogil joined the team in 2012 as GROWTH’s Financial Analyst. As Financial Analyst, Mark assists with invoicing and financial reporting of GROWTH’s grant programs, along with upkeep of project budgets and expenditures. Mark has an educational background in business finance and accounting.

Amy Clark, Grant Administration Director, joined the team in 2012 and has 15 years of experience in grant writing and administration. Amy is responsible for applying for grant funding and monitoring the administration of existing grant programs.

Events in The District 2013 was another great year for events in The District. The District enjoyed a successful event season, and is ending 2013 right on target. The event season brought people by the thousands out to enjoy live entertainment, shopping, family fun, and more in downtown Rock Island.

The District is a downtown neighborhood located along the banks of the Mississippi. Beautiful historic buildings, modern residential living, eclectic shopping, outstanding art galleries, vibrant nightlife, innovative dining options, and a jam-packed festival calendar have made The District synonymous with fun.

Joe Euchner has been with the team since 2001 and has more than 20 years of construction experience. As Rehab Specialist, Joe is responsible for the creation of construction scopes in all housing programs for the organization.

Lynne Sheese joined the team in 2011 and has more than 40 years of lending experience. As Financial Education Coordinator, Lynne leads homebuyer seminars in partnership with other housing agencies in addition to foreclosure prevention counseling.

Lindsay Hocker joined the team in 2012. As Communication Specialist her duties include various marketing, communications, and administrative tasks. Lindsay has a journalism and non-profit background, and brings three years of experience as a newspaper reporter to the table.

Renaissance Rock Island: Who We Are

Renaissance Rock Island is the umbrella name for three inter-connected organizations dedicated to the revitalization of Rock Island. Rock Island Economic Growth Corporation (GROWTH) is a 501(c)3 Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) that works as the cornerstone organization of Renaissance Rock Island. GROWTH is regarded as a local and national leader in developing innovative housing opportunities and development projects. Development Association of Rock Island (DARI) focuses on commercial and industrial development. The Downtown Rock Island Arts & Entertainment District (The District) markets the downtown and is the producer of unique downtown events.

Heart Walk in May

Renaissance Rock Island staff

Brian Hollenback has more than 30 years of experience in the housing development, mortgage lending, and construction finance industries. Brian serves as the chief executive officer for DARI, GROWTH and The District. Brian started as the Housing Director in 1998, became the Executive Director of GROWTH in 2003 and President in 2008.Through Brian's initiatives, Renaissance Rock Island has become a national leader in community-based development and has secured a positive reputation for its ability to develop innovative projects, dynamic events, and bring new businesses to Rock Island by convening and facilitating work among various community partners.

Lisa Ahern has been with the team since 2007. She has extensive experience in the areas of community planning, grant writing, and financial analysis. As Grant Administration Support, Lisa now works part-time assisting the grant department.

Kate Lackey joined the team in 2011 and has more than 20 years in accounting experience. As Accounting Assistant, she is responsible for paying all bills efficiently as well as completing other duties in the fiscal department.

Carl McClaskey joined the team in 2008 and has more than 12 years experience in the entertainment industry. As Special Events Coordinator for The District, Carl's talents help energize downtown events.

Anthony Watson became Downtown Cleaning Ambassador in 2013. His duties include ensuring cleanliness and safety by removing litter, graffiti, illegal posters, weeds and leaves throughout the downtown Rock Island area.

Ya Maka My Weekend in August

Gumbo Ya Ya in June

Downtown Clean Up in April

Fright Night in October

Rock Island Grand Prix, Labor Day

Gallery Hop! in May

Rock the District in June Red, White, and Boom, July 3

St. Patrick Society

St. Patrick's Day Grand Parade in March

Gallery Hop! in December

Quad Cities Criterium, Memorial Day

2013 Event/Festival Fun Facts: Over 27 outdoor events/festivals in The District*. Over 300 volunteers worked a cumulative total of 1,600 hours at District festivals, for a labor value of over $35,000**.

Over 400 local and regional artists displayed works at both Gallery Hops.

Over 5,000 celebrated Red, White & Boom Along the riverfront and downtown Rock Island.

Over 50,000 visitors attended activities in The District.

Over 300 hotel rooms generated by events presented by The District

*Based on ‘City Clerk’s 2013 Plaza and District Event List’ and

includes events presented by Steve’s Old Time Tap, RIBCO, Daiquiri

Factory and The District.

**According to “Volunteering in America” model.

GROWTH Rock Island Economic Growth

Corporation is a 501(c)3 organization focused on housing

revitalization and community redevelopment.

The District The Downtown Rock Island Arts & Entertainment District is a, 501(c)6

not-for-profit organization comprised of 48 member merchants group focused on special events and

downtown marketing.

Housing Manager Mike Atkins

Grant Administration Director Amy Clark

Accounting Assistant Kate Lackey

Administration Director Beth Payne

Executive Director, The District Catherine

Rodgers-Ingles

Rehab Specialist Joe Euchner

NSP Construction Director Paul Fessler

Ryan Marik Program Compliance

Specialist

Office Management Specialist

Kerry Mangelsdorf

Property Manager & Office Support Pam Buckner

Communication Specialist

Lindsay Hocker

Special Events Coordinator

Carl McClaskey

Central States Development Partners, Inc.

A national for-profit entity focused on community impact

and job creation.

DARI Development Association of

Rock Island is a 501(c)6, 60+ member, dues supported organization

focused on commercial and industrial development.

President

Brian Hollenback

Financial Education Coordinator

Lynne Sheese

Renaissance Rock Island Executive Board

Business Incubation in Downtown Rock Island In 2013, DARI incubated nearly 20 businesses in the downtown. Specifically, the retail incubator The Shoppes on 2nd and the wellness incubator Be Well Quad Cities. DARI continues its mission to assist new businesses in succeeding and growing. The Shoppes on 2nd, located at 1700 2nd Avenue, reached 100% occupancy with six retailers open in July. Since that time, three retailers have relocated into larger spaces in downtown Rock Island. As of December 2013, three pending applications for the retail incubator are being reviewed by the Retail Advisory Board. To learn more about The Shoppes on 2nd and the retailers located inside it, please visit www.TheShoppesOn2nd.com. Be Well Quad Cities is a “conscious living collective” that consists of four independently owned and operated businesses focused on total body wellness. Located at 151 16 1/2 Street, these businesses include an organic hair salon, massage therapy, colon hydro therapy and a fresh juice bar. Mad Roots Juicery is a fresh juice bar slated to open in January 2014. This business offers fresh, organic juices made straight from the fruit itself. The business also plans to expand and offer its customers organic, raw foods for purchase. A new website at www.BeWellQuadCities.com will be completed in January 2014.

Downtown Activity

The community is fortunate to have a historic downtown where continued investment has created new places to live and allowed new businesses to open their doors. Downtown Rock Island generates jobs, tourism, and provides opportunities for relaxation, entertainment, including family activities close to home. The focus on downtown Rock Island can be attributed to dedicated stakeholders who share a common vision for creating a vibrant downtown environment.

This year has been filled with activities focused on building the future of downtown, with many new initiatives looking towards the future:

Downtown Strategic Plan In conjunction with the City of Rock Island, Renaissance Rock Island is working to finalize its 2013-2018 Downtown Strategic Plan identifying a 7-year strategy for capital improvement projects in the downtown. Objectives in the plan are already in various stages of implementation and include making improvements to the Great River Plaza, a new stage, new streetscaping and lighting, along with other improvements. Downtown Task Force A downtown task force was established to gather input from various downtown stakeholders including residents, business owners and business professionals. The task force was formulated to assist in identifying challenges facing the downtown and to offer potential solutions that will be used in the process of shaping the future of downtown Rock Island. The group started meeting monthly in the last quarter of 2013, and will continue through spring of 2014. New Downtown Police Unit A new Downtown Police Unit was introduced to business owners in October 2013. The police unit patrols the area on foot and bicycles during the week, and covers a more concentrated area during peak activity on weekends. The Downtown Police Unit wears uniforms specific to the downtown area. The officers are focused on providing a safe and secure environment.

Fiscal Director Cheryl Schaubroeck

Maintenance Anthony Watson

Grant Administration Support

Lisa Ahern

Various Limited Liability

Corporations (LLCs)

Financial Analyst Mark Marogil

Joe Hintze Strategic Planner

Mission Statements Renaissance Rock Island is an umbrella organization that provides a great variety of services and resources to the Rock Island community through our three organizations (listed below). Together, these organizations have improved the quality of life, have directly impacted the local economy and have generated more than $150 million in leveraged resources to date for Rock Island.

Rock Island Economic Growth Corporation: The mission of Rock Island Economic Growth Corporation (GROWTH) is to enhance the overall image and economic vitality of Rock Island and distressed communities. GROWTH works to: Improve housing market dynamics in such communities, especially in older blighted neighborhoods; Develop new housing opportunities; Help generate new and additional tax revenues for such communities; Promote, encourage and assist the growth and development of existing commercial and industrial businesses; Assist households with housing counseling, homeownership preparation and foreclosure intervention; Encourage and promote homeownership.

Development Association of Rock Island: The mission of the Development Association of Rock Island (DARI), is to create partnerships with private businesses and the City of Rock Island to promote commercial, industrial and recreational development with emphasis on downtown through ownership or management of businesses and properties, or by providing businesses assistance to enhance the tax base and quality of life in Rock Island.

The Downtown Rock Island Arts & Entertainment District: The mission of The Downtown Rock Island Arts & Entertainment District (The District) is to establish and manage downtown Rock Island as a creative and innovative experience.

Organizational Chart

Downtown Activity

The Locks The groundbreaking for The Locks, a $6.1 million multi-family

construction project that will provide rental, transit-oriented,

market-driven, live-work housing in downtown Rock Island was

held in May. The targeted completion date for The Locks,

GROWTH’s largest new construction project in the

organization’s history, is June 2014.

GROWTH, Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit

District (Metro), and the City of Rock Island are partnering to

create a Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) in downtown

Rock Island. The TOD will consist of a new signature

transportation center; The Locks; and bikeway and

infrastructure improvements. The Locks will support Rock

Island’s growing need for market-driven, live-work housing and

supports the Livable Communities Initiative, an effort that

strengthens the link between transit and communities. The Locks will have 34 housing units ranging in size

from 615 to 1,974 square feet.

Goldman Family Block The completion of the Goldman Family Block at 1616-1618 2nd Avenue, a

more than $1 million redevelopment project, was celebrated in February

2013. The project included the rehabilitation of four upper story studio

apartments, improvements to the building’s façade, and renovation of

commercial space on the first floor. Groundbreaking was in June 2012, with

the project completed in January 2013. Commercial tenants Balanced

Body Chiropractic and Tita’s Linens by Claudia celebrated opening at

Goldman Family Block with ribbon cuttings this year, and a third tenant,

NormaLeah Ovarian Cancer Foundation Inc., signed a lease in December.

This brings Goldman Family Block to 100% occupancy for both residential

units and commercial spaces.

The Star Block 1 and 2 GROWTH and DARI acquired the historic Star Block, in the 1800 block of

2nd Avenue, for redevelopment in 2013. The Star Block is located in the heart of downtown. At the first

buildings acquired, 1821-1823, redevelopment will include the creation of eight residential rental units and

rehabilitation of approximately 1,600 square

feet of commercial space. This effort will

preserve and transform the space into one

and two bedroom live-work rental units

ranging in size from 540 to 1,400 square

feet. Accessible, affordable units targeting

veterans will be created on the first floor. In

January 2013, Modern Woodmen bank

donated $10,000 to the project to celebrate

10 years since its founding in 2003. The buildings acquired later in the year, 1825 and 1829, are being

landbanked for future redevelopment.

Team Achievements As an organization, 2013 proved to be a successful year for Renaissance Rock Island. Here are a few highlights of team achievements and activities:

Award Winning!

Received the Rotary Trophy for

Jackson Square for the Commercial

Beautification Awards and

honorable mentions for

The Shoppes on 2nd and the

Goldman Family Block

Featured in Homes Magazine

Awarded $660,000 in Home Purchase Renovation

funds for Rock Island and Whiteside counties

New Old Chicago groundbreaking

for three homes

Assisted Homebuyer #600

Transit-Oriented Development

Groundbreaking: The Locks

Wyvetter H. Younge Illinois Affordable

Housing Award for Jackson Square,

relating to partnership with Bush

Construction

Rock Island Preservation Society

awarded two Historic Preservation

Awards and two Certificates of

Recognition for work at NSP homes

Featured in Affordable Housing News Certificates of Appreciation from the

Quad Cities Riverfront Council for

Jackson Square and McKesson Lofts

Mark W. Schwiebert

Sustainability Leadership

Award

Goldman Family Block ribbon cutting

GROWTH and Modern Woodman Bank awarded

the Community First Partnership Award from

the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago for

Jackson Square

Awarded $3.5 million in Attorney General

Foreclosure Settlement funds

More than 300

homebuyers

educated

Ribbon cutting and 100% occupancy of both

residential and commercial spaces celebrated at

Goldman Family Block in 2013.

Housing & Neighborhoods

The past year’s highlights for the Housing Department and Homebuyer Program include:

48 homebuyers welcomed. 306 homebuyers educated. 39 homeowners counseled in foreclosure prevention. 25 homeowners prevented from foreclosure. 6 households assisted with single family owner-occupied rehabilitation.

CHDO Three of the four homes renovated and placed for sale through GROWTH's Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) Pilot program were sold or placed under contract in 2013. A CHDO is a special designation given by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to community development groups who specialize in housing development. Only six CHDOs received funding from Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) for this program. To purchase a CHDO home, a homebuyer can earn up to 80% of the area median income (AMI).

Community Outreach GROWTH participated in community events and held open houses throughout the year, connecting with community members about GROWTH’s housing efforts including the Homebuyer Program, homes for sale, foreclosure prevention counseling, and multi-family developments, such as The Locks.

Expanded Service Area

GROWTH's board of directors voted to become a national non-profit Community Housing Development Organization in 2012. This bold move allows for the organization to expands its housing efforts in underserved markets, all the while bringing resources back into Rock Island. 2013 was the year to start implementing the efforts derived from new partnerships and Memorandums of Understanding created in 2012, with many objectives identified in those agreements to be realized in 2014. By voting to expand its service area, millions in funding was secured or is in the pipeline to be secured to improve housing in the region. The most sizeable funding awarded for the expanded service area in 2013 was $3.5 million by the Illinois Attorney General Foreclosure Settlement Funds. GROWTH is receiving $3.5 million in Foreclosure Settlement dollars, which will benefit Rock Island and Whiteside counties, and potentially also impact Henry and Mercer counties. Plans include leveraging these funds with additional funding resources to impact a minimum of 83 housing units in the region. In Rock Island, this effort will assist in redevelopment of The Star Block, a historical landmark, and help create market-rate single and multifamily housing. GROWTH was awarded $660,000 for the HOME Purchase Renovation Program (HOME). HOME funds are being be used to provide downpayment assistance of up to $10,000, and rehabilitation costs of up to $30,000 for eligible buyers in Rock Island and Whiteside counties. Also in 2013, GROWTH was awarded $774,000 for the Housing Trust Fund program. Housing Trust funds will be used to provide downpayment assistance of up to $5,000 and rehabilitation costs of vacant properties up to $20,000 for eligible buyers in Rock Island and Whiteside counties, beginning in 2014. GROWTH received $289,000 in Housing Emergency Loan Program funding, which will assist 12 low income to very low-income homeowners in Rock Island and Whiteside Counties to repair their homes by replacing costly maintenance items and removing health and safety hazards beginning sometime in 2014.

These efforts are through GROWTH, serving as lead of the Northwestern Illinois Housing Coalition (NWIHC). A website for the NWIHC was launched in 2013, providing information on the various programs available, foreclosure prevention, and the Coalition itself. Please visit www.NorthwesternIllinoisHousingCoalition.com to check for updates throughout 2014 as program details are announced. While GROWTH makes a bigger impact regionally, the organization is also gearing up to make a national impact as a community-based developer. In addition to the single family housing efforts, GROWTH is working on various multi-family projects in the region and beyond. Many of these projects are in various stages of predevelopment and will be announced in 2014.

Due to its impact outside of Rock Island, GROWTH is in the process of creating a website to showcase its abilities as a national leader in affordable housing development. Www.EconomicGrowthCorporation.com will be launched in spring 2014. Staff is now operating as Rock Island Economic Growth Corporation dba Economic Growth Corporation for any projects outside of Rock Island and the NWIHC service area.

It is important to recognize that these efforts listed above do not mean that GROWTH's core mission has changed. Rather, these efforts indicate the exact opposite. By expanding into a national non-profit, GROWTH is able to better serve Rock Island. It provides GROWTH the possibility and flexibility to continue to bring in precious housing resources to invest into our community and continue to meet the community's housing needs. GROWTH will communicate Rock Island's benefit as these various pipeline projects are completed.

Lender forum with Greg Faulkner of IHDA in February Presented to Augustana College

Urban Geography students on

revitalization efforts in January

HOME Purchase Renovation press conference in April

Whiteside County Public Forum

in September

Nearly 50 local and regional

contractors learn about bid

opportunities by in October

RI County NAACP Community Celebration and Resource Fair in September

Open houses were held in April and

October at CHDO house 2514 30th Street

West End Neighborhood Block Party in July

Open house at NSP 2 house 847

22nd Street during Broadway

Historic District’s 25th

Anniversary Celebration

Housing & Neighborhoods

Homebuyer Education GROWTH’s Homebuyer Education Workshops, held in conjunction with Project NOW, Inc., had a record year in 2013, with more than 300 educated. The workshop attendees learn about the entire process of becoming a homeowner – from searching for a home, making an offer, to home maintenance. Attendees learn from a variety of presenters during the day-long class. The 306 educated this year were able to learn if homeownership was right for them at this point in their lives, with many choosing to move forward and purchasing homes in the City of Rock Island, helping to stabilize neighborhoods. Attendees at the workshops often take the time to leave positive feedback about their experiences, noting that the class is very informative, yet fun, and makes them feel knowledgeable and comfortable about the process of purchasing a home.

Foreclosure Prevention

GROWTH also had a successful year for foreclosure prevention by connecting dozens of homeowners with resources allowing them to stay in their homes. Financial Education Counselor Lynne Sheese counseled 39 households in foreclosure prevention. Through the Hardest Hit Fund, 25 households counseled by Lynne were prevented from Foreclosure throughout the program’s history, with $560,000 invested in Illinois Quad-Cities region. 2013 was the last year to apply for Illinois’ Hardest Hit Fund. GROWTH continues to provide free counseling to people in danger of losing their homes.

New Old Chicago New Infill Homes The construction of three homes in the New Old Chicago Neighborhood is well underway on 10th Street, with one of the homes pre-sold as of November 2013. The homes will be completed in spring 2014, and are being built because of the success of the first five homes built on the block in 2012. Four of those homes have sold. New infill construction brings new residents to Rock Island, work for contractors and helps grow the tax base. Funding for the homes includes a variety of public and private sources: Wells Fargo Leading The Way Home® Priority Markets Initiative grant funds, Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) 2 program income,

Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) State Donation Tax Credits, Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District funding, and private debt.

Illinois Attorney General National Foreclosure Settlement Funds

The Illinois Attorney General announced GROWTH was awarded $3.5 million in National Foreclosure Settlement Funds to assist the member communities of the Northwestern Illinois Housing Coalition (NWIHC) in July 2013. GROWTH received the second highest award next to the Illinois Housing Development Authority, based on past performance. The Coalition includes GROWTH, Rock Island, Moline, East Moline, Sterling, Morrison, Fulton, Project NOW, and The Arc of the Quad Cities, with GROWTH serving as the lead. The funding will help rebuild neighborhoods that have been hardest hit by foreclosure in two critical ways: by rebuilding and rehabilitating vacant and abandoned properties to turn around blighted neighborhoods and provide critical housing counseling to underserved markets in the region. Since the announcement, GROWTH has been successful in partnering with 12 regional banks with a minimum of leveraged commitments of $9.5 million. This effort demonstrates the regional partnerships strengthened by GROWTH through the NWIHC, setting a benchmark of a minimum of a $35 million impact for the region’s housing economy over the next three years. GROWTH staff attended the Illinois Housing Action Conference in November, where Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan was a keynote speaker. She said re-development contracts should be executed by January 2014. NWIHC programs relating to the Attorney General Settlement Funds will be announced and launched in 2014. Staff continues to work with other members of the NWIHC on various approved projects to further maximize the benefit of the National Foreclosure Settlement Funds by leveraging debt and other housing resources.

Foreclosure Prevention Client Comments

-“Lynne gets five stars from me. She is my hero and

the program kept me from becoming homeless.

Thanks to everyone, I am grateful for all of your

time and patience.”

-”The program gave me the best news. They saved

my house I’ve lived in for over 20 years. I just can’t

tell you all what it means to me to have my home.

It’s my home, not a house.”

More than 300 homebuyers attended GROWTH’s

homebuyer education workshops– making 2013

a record year for attendance.

Groundbreaking on three new homes in the New Old Chicago

Neighborhood held in August 2013.

608 10th Street: pre-sale on new home currently being built

by GROWTH in New Old Chicago Neighborhood.

Closing is expected in spring 2014.

The Attorney General application was

submitted in February 2013.

Memorandums of Understanding and Partnerships

Augustana College GROWTH and Augustana are partnering together to create the Villas at College Hill. A spring 2014 groundbreaking is expected for the Villas. The Villas at College Hill will breathe life into a subdivision on 30th Street. Two of the homes will be market rate, with the third only available to a homebuyer earning up to 120% of the Area Median Income. The homes will range in price from $199,000 to $214,900.

St. Ambrose University A development services agreement was signed in July between GROWTH and St. Ambrose University. GROWTH is providing development and consulting services relating to housing, economic development, and the redevelopment of the neighborhood in and around St. Ambrose campus.

RiverView Lofts

Private sector investment is starting to surge in downtown Rock Island. Renaissance Rock Island facilitated the pre-development of RiverView Lofts, located at the former VanDerGinst building, at 1705 2nd Avenue. The historic building will be transformed into 44 market rate residential units, with five commercial spaces on the ground floor. More than $5.3 million is being invested into the project.

Attorney General Foreclosure Settlement

Funds lender forum in August.

Neighborhood Stabilization Program

Neighborhood Stabilization Program

Time has flown by since the exciting announcements that Neighborhood Stabilization Program 1 & 2 funds would be awarded to our community through Rock Island Economic Growth Corporation’s collaborative applications, and we are eager to show off how these programs are shining examples of successfully stabilizing our neighborhoods, while simultaneously stimulating the local economy. THE PROBLEM: The worst housing and economic downturn since the Great Depression had serious consequences for Rock Island neighborhoods and businesses. Foreclosures in some neighborhoods spiked 220%, businesses closed, and unemployment increased. THE INVESTMENT: A total of $33 million was invested in Rock Island and Northwestern Illinois to stimulate the economy and stop the foreclosure crisis. Funding was actualized in an effort to rebuild neighborhoods hurt by foreclosures, vacancies, and blight. GROWTH applied for and received $21.2 million in Neighborhood Stabilization Program funding (NSP 1

and NSP 2) - programs of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Funds were administered by GROWTH to benefit Rock Island and communities in Whiteside County.

$4.6 million in private funding was secured solely from Rock Island local lending institutions to benefit

Rock Island projects. $5 million in additional resources from private foundations, city, state, and federal funds was secured

by GROWTH to support NSP projects. An additional $2.2 million in program income was earned from home sales and is being reinvested in

Rock Island and Northwestern Illinois. THE OUTCOMES: This $33 million poured into the local economy over a period of four years. In this time, the economic impact (table on the next page) and the outcomes achieved are notable. Supported 212 jobs during a time when lay-offs and

business closings were at an all-time high. Impacted 193 housing units (as of year ending 2013).

81 multifamily units were created as affordable rehabilitated or new rental units.

112 single family units were rehabilitated, newly

constructed, or demolished due to blight. Saved historical landmarks, such as the previously

named Illinois Oil Company, which is now known as Jackson Square, while also repurposing the building to create 30 new rental units and commercial space.

Assisted over 113 qualifying households to secure safe

and affordable housing during the worst housing crisis our country has experienced.

Made payments to vendors for the entire NSP 2 consortia totaling $13,633,278.97.

33--YEAR ECONOMIC IMPACT in Rock IslandYEAR ECONOMIC IMPACT in Rock Island**: :

*Denotes Rock Island services only for NSP 2.*Denotes Rock Island services only for NSP 2.

**Includes legal, accounting, appraisal, and environmental services.**Includes legal, accounting, appraisal, and environmental services.

Lasting Impact

“The Neighborhood

Stabilization Program has

allowed us to address decline

in our neighborhoods where

there are high degrees of

foreclosure and

abandonment,” said

Renaissance Rock Island

President Brian Hollenback.

“By investing in the homes in

these areas, and attracting

prepared and educated

homebuyers we have made a

strategic and lasting impact in

our neighborhoods and

community.”

NSP 1 and 2: more than 200 jobs supported.

Jackson Square received the Affordable Housing Champion Award

and the Community First Partnership Award in 2013.

544 23rd Street was rehabilitated with

NSP funds and is currently for sale.

Two NSP 2 new construction homes were

pre-sales, including this one.

Marketing Services $48,828

Other Professional Services** $1,188,670

Construction Services $15,238,279

Insurance Services $202,454

Architectural, Design, and Engineering Services $908,461

Realtor Fees $195,558

County Taxes $97,540

Direct Buyers’ Assistance $1,495,000

Original NSP 2 Grant Award-$18.5 million

NSP 2 - Including Program Income-$20.1 million

$33 Million NSP Regional Breakdown