Joliet invites public to open house about downtown plans

The city of Joliet encourages residents and community stakeholders to attend an open house Wednesday to examine, discuss and comment on a draft proposal for a downtown development plan.

The open house is the second by the city on the Downtown Joliet Equitable Transit Oriented Development Plan, which is designed for an area around the Joliet Gateway Center public transit hub.

The city is providing free parking and free tacos at the open house, which is 6 to 8 p.m. in the Gateway Center train station at 90 E. Jefferson St.

The Joliet Railroad Museum in the train station will be open for the event, and there will be gift card raffles.

“We hope people will pop in and comment on the plan,” City Planner Jayne Bernhard said in a news release from the city. “Our consultant firm will make changes to the draft plan based on input received at the open house.”

The revised plan will go to the Joliet City Council for a vote in July, according to the release. It will first be reviewed by the city Plan Commission and the City Council Land Use and Economic Development Committee.

The city and the Regional Transportation Authority are partners in the development of the plan that among other things will identify housing opportunities in the vicinity of the transit center.

“More people in the downtown and surrounding neighborhoods is what will add further vitality,” Mayor Terry D’Arcy said in the release.

The project has been in the works for more than a year. The city also held an open house to collect public input in June 2024.

More information about the Downtown Joliet Equitable Transit Oriented Development Plan can be found on the city website, www.joliet.gov/etod.