Politics & Government

After a Year, Village Board Approves Final Design of Arch

The much discussed arch will be placed on Northway and Grange Avenue next to the new LED sign. Both are meant to attract new visitors coming from Southridge Mall to the Village Center.

In an effort to bring more visitors to the Village Center, the Village Board approved the final designs for a gateway arch, despite a trustee’s fiscal objections.

The board voted, 6-1, Tuesday night to approve the final design.

Trustee Carl Genz voted against it. He said it would be better to spend money on the arch when the economy becomes more financially stable.

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He supports the arch, but said, “I just don’t know if right now is the right time to be making an investment in this.”

The arch has been included in the this year’s budget but Genz said even though it is it doesn’t mean the money needs to be spent. Genz suggested considering it for another year’s budget.

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The designed arch is estimated to cost $90,000 but will be bid out to companies. The cost might increase or decrease. Grandhaven, LLC, property owners of the Village Center, has agreed to pay half of the cost to up to $75,000.

The arch will be placed on Northway and Grange Avenue . It will have brick piers and square posts. The brick will match the brick on the LED sign. In trying to match Village Hall, plaques will be placed on the front of the pillars reading est. 1938.

because he said the LED sign should have been reviewed with the arch. He also said having two signs with the same purpose next to each other was a waste of money.

The approval comes after a year of . Around the same time, staff proposed the  Instead some trustees thought it would be better to place the LED sign on the intersection of Northway and Grange Avenue in order to attract traffic from the new at Southridge Mall. The LED sign was then approved in March without approval of the gateway arch or referring it to the Planning Commission.


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