Design

The Design Committee's work is perhaps some of the most apparent, as they work to ensure the visual appeal of our downtown. The committee, led by chairman Tom Anderson and co-chairman Bill Cox, has been working with downtown business and property owners to ensure the historic and architectural integrity of the buildings. The committee has worked closely with the City and any development groups, such as the First Street project, to help ensure the downtown district is safe, pedestrian friendly, and attractive.

Model of First Street Project	Dellora Norris sculpture dedication	Sculpture in the Park - Mt. St. Mary Park	North Gateway Park - legacy bricks

The Design Committee and its Public Art Sub-Committee, led by Diana Brown, are successful in a couple of programs which enhance downtown St. Charles' appeal. Led by project chairperson, Sharon Oie, the Public Art Sub-Committee commissioned and dedicated the Dellora Norris sculpture in front of the Municipal Center at 2 E. Main Street. The Design Committee will also present the third-annual Sculpture in the Park event in Mt. St. Mary Park, in conjunction with the St. Charles Park District. The event will feature more than a dozen sculptures from late-April to mid-October created by local and regional artists.

The Design Committee's River Corridor Sub-Committee is also actively enhancing the beauty of downtown St. Charles. Until recently, much of the work done by the River Corridor Sub-Committee has gone unseen: feasibility studies, negotiations with property owners, engineering studies. But all of that changed in 2005, as two projects made those efforts visible: the planting of native grasses and flowering perennials between the river bank and Rt. 25 across from Langum Park, and the construction of the River North Gateway Park. The latter project is a shared endeavor between the City, the Park District, Noon Kiwanis Club, and the DSCP. The sale of commemorative bricks is ongoing to help fund the effort. Please call the DSCP office if you would like to purchase one for yourself or your family.

If you share a vision for preserving the character and beauty of downtown St. Charles, then the Design Committee welcomes you to attend its next meeting. The Design Committee meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 a.m. in the Municipal Center - 2 E. Main Street. For more information, call Ashley Dorsch at the Downtown St. Charles Partnership office: 630-513-5386 ext. 3.

To view the Design Committee's current Action Plan, click HERE. For the Public Art Sub-committee's Action Plan, click here. For the River Corridor Sub-committee's Action Plan, click here.