Downtown Development Corporation names new president to develop business district
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — The Downtown Development Corporation of Peoria on Thursday named its new president and CEO, who will focus on developing the city's Central Business district.
Chris Waible is a Peoria native who has done development work in Wisconsin. He told WMBD he is excited to return to his hometown and be part of the city's rejuvenation.
"The reimagination of Downtown Peoria is not unlike other downtowns across the country that are experiencing a change in how a downtown is laid out. It was once a business center, and now we're seeing a lot of different uses housing, different entertainment options, and Peoria has made a lot of progress on that," he said.
Ribbon cutting held for new Warehouse District
Longtime DDC president and CEO Michael Freilinger is retiring after 11 years at the helm. Board member Zach Oyler credits Freilinger for revitalizing the city's Warehouse District with new shops and residences.
"It's really become a life of its own, and that's what's brought us to a point of being ready to make this transition. As there's developers invested in the Warehouse District, residential that's coming online. We've got one that's about to open soon. We've got another one that's under construction, a couple of others that are under contract. And so that project is really moving forward in the Warehouse District," he said.
Oyler, who is also an at-large councilman at Peoria City Council, said parking does remain an issue in the Warehouse District, but that's something to be taken up by council. As of now, the DDC's focus will be addressing the needs of the Central Business District.
"And so really some of the remaining pieces that have to be worked out are parking and funding. But as far as a new vision goes, it's time to focus on downtown," he said. "A lot of what's missing is your first floor retail. The economy has changed. The community has changed. We need a vision for downtown. And that's a lot of what Chris is going to help bring to the table is working with other organizations to really bring to life a vision. Where do we go next from here? How do we start to fill up the retail spaces on first floors? How do we bring residential into some of the high rise spaces? And so he was really a great fit for that opportunity. And I think in the coming years, we're going to see a lot of exciting things happen in the downtown and it'll be a place that people really want to go back to."
