‘Forward thinking’ downtown events reflect O’Fallon’s community connections strategy

O’Fallon’s commercial downtown district has continued to grow and thrive post-pandemic, and one of the reasons is the combined city staff and merchant strategy to get more people involved with promotions.

After several popular new fall holiday traditions received positive responses in October, businesspeople and government officials are working on several projects highlighting forward-thinking.

A sense of connection is what the community wants, said Whitney Leidner, owner of Refinery Salon, and one of the business leaders who spearheaded the Wizards and Witches Festival, now completing its fifth year successfully.

The merchants will continue to be mindful of that when planning activities, she said.

“As a district, we believe our residents are longing for a sense of connection within their community, fostering a desire for a lively downtown—a place where people can gather, shop, and dine regularly,” she said.

“We can see that the charm of a small-town main street is beginning to return, attracting new businesses, boosting tourism, and creating a significant economic impact. We aim to enhance this experience even further,” she said.

The businesses have partnered with the city to develop a strategy that unifies their messaging and showcases the downtown district’s unique character.

“Our ongoing marketing efforts must involve the community, so we invite everyone in the community to participate in this journey and recognize the crucial role they play in this process.” she said. “Their time and investment in the downtown area are vital. Our downtown district is the heart of our community; its growth is essential for our city’s development, and we aspire to highlight its distinctive heritage and everything it has to offer.”

City Administrator Walter Denton said that downtown is a priority in the 2040 Master Plan, especially to create a community identity. In turn, support for the local businesses and special events is important for the city to foster. They have partnered with the downtown merchants and the O’Fallon-Shiloh Chamber of Commerce through the Downtown District Committee.

The committee consists of downtown business owners who volunteer their time to develop events and promote the district.

“City employees provide support where we can, our marketing firm has created branding for the district and designed the district’s website,” Denton said.

The facade program is being funded through the city, and the new process has been announced.

“O’Fallon residents can get involved by supporting the activities, and the committee can always use volunteers at the events,” he said.

This year’s Witches and Wizards Festival Oct. 5 drew the highest attendance yet, Leidner said. The event began in 2019, took a pandemic break the following year, then resumed in 2021, and has been held annually since then.

“We’ve witnessed a notable increase in community support this year, with more local attendees and contributions from local businesses. For instance, the generous donation from The Drury Inn which allowed us to feature a Sway Witch this year, this all added a charming local touch.” Leidner said.

“Everyone on the Downtown District committee agreed that hosting the event earlier this year was a fantastic way to kick off the Halloween season. We sincerely hope it continues to grow and becomes a beloved fall tradition in O’Fallon.” she added.

Façade Improvement Program

An opportunity to enhance shops’ curb appeal is again available. The Downtown District Façade Improvement Program is helping businesses create inviting storefronts that add to the charm of the downtown. Applications are available beginning Nov. 4 for those who would like to elevate their business with a beautiful new exterior look.

Launched in November 2019, the program is a matching grant initiative administered by the city that encourages and assists property and business owners located in the central city area to improve the exterior appearance of their buildings.

Properties must be within the Central City TIF District and eligible facades must be readily visible from a public street. Applications may be submitted via email to communitydevelopment@ofallon.org or directly to: Community Development Department, Attn: Abigail Cline, 255 S. Lincoln Avenue, 2nd Floor, O’Fallon, IL 62269. Applications must be received no later than 5 p.m., March 3, 2025.

The grants will be awarded April 7. Grant funding is subject to budget approval from the O’Fallon City Council and availability of funds.

Eligible facades must be readily visible from a public street. Rear facades of properties on the south side of State Street and on 1st Street will also be considered eligible, since they are highly visible.

Applicants are eligible to receive up to 50% of the project cost up to a maximum of $14,999, based on fund availability. This is a reimbursement program – grant dollars are disbursed at the time of project completion for approved projects that have submitted all required documentation.

A building owner/eligible business can only participate in the program with a maximum of two projects per application cycle.

Eligible costs include, but are not limited to:

• Restoration of architectural details in historic buildings and removal of elements covering any such architectural details, including false facades

• Replacement/installation of appropriately scaled doors and lighted window areas for retail displays or for visual access into a retail or service business or a restaurant

• Installation of decorative lighting for the purpose of illuminating the exterior and/or signage of a building

• Replacement/installation of awnings, canopies, or shutters

• Architectural/engineering/design fees associated with an approved façade project

• Improvements that bring “grandfathered” signage into conformance with current codes and the Downtown O’Fallon Design Guidelines

• Installation of solid vinyl privacy fencing (or other materials as approved by staff) to conceal existing/approved outdoor storage or dumpsters.

Items that are considered general building maintenance may be considered for the program, however, will generally score much lower than projects incorporating recommendations from the design guidelines.

Those eligible to participate:

• Must be current in the payment of real estate taxes to St. Clair County

• Must be current in any amounts or accounts due to the City of O’Fallon

• No significant code violations (present or pending) within the City of O’Fallon and no adjudications for violating an order of the O’Fallon Building Division

• Has never been in a lawsuit for deficient performance under a contract

• A property is limited to $14,999 per 3-year period

The City reserves the right to reject any project or request additional information at its sole discretion. Once approved, projects must be completed within six months, unless the city agrees to extend the timeline due to extenuating circumstances. All projects will need to secure any required building permits. A licensed architect or engineer may be required depending on the type/scope of the project

For more information, visit: https://www.ofallonillinois.org/downtown-district-facade-improvement-program/

Vine Street Market

After a successful spring-summer-fall season at the farmers’ market at O’Fallon Station, events manager Samantha Sorrick said they are gearing up for The Thanksgiving Market on Nov. 23 from 9 a.m. to noon and Home for the Holidays on Dec. 14 from 4 to 8 p.m.

“We have expanded Home for the Holidays this year, so there will be more food, drinks and even a few fire pits with s’mores for families to enjoy. It will be a great way to end the year,” Sorrick said.Sorrick, who became part of the team in July, said she is looking forward to planning 2025.

“The 2024 season went very well. We topped last year’s total visitor count by about 3,000 people, so we are maintaining good attendance,” she said. “The vendors really know what they are doing, and I enjoyed getting to know them and their crafts in the few months that I have been here.”

This story was originally published October 31, 2024 at 9:42 AM.