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Downtown Highland Park Gets Icy

Ice sculptures pop up around the city for the holidays.

There's ice on the ground in downtown Highland Park.  Nope, it's not snow. Ice sculptures popped up throughout the city Thursday to kick off Highland Park's first annual Ice Sculpture Walk, sponsored by The Downtown Highland Park Alliance and participating merchants. "We want to give a reason for people to walk around the whole city, and try to do what no one else is doing in the other suburbs," said Stash's and 2nd Street Bistro owner Bobby Dubin, who helped organize the effort. There are currently sculptures in front of stores like Uncle Dan's and Ross Cosmetics as well as the First Bank of Highland Park. There will be between 40 and 50 sculptures throughout the city for the kick-off event Dec. 8, according to Dubin. "As you enter from …

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forest barbieri

6:05 am on Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Super Job! Unfortunate weather:(   more ›

Thousands Head to Taste Opening

Highland Park’s premier summer weekend opens.

Live music and booths representing 18 Highland Park restaurants opened Highland Park’s premier summer weekend Friday.  More than 2,000 people packed onto the one block stretch of Central Avenue between First and Second Street as two bands—Od Tapo Imi and Kevin Chalfant’s Journey Experience—performed. Attendees purchased food from the Taste of Highland Park vendors.  “This is a great opportunity for our community across all ages to come together for good food and good music,” Mayor Nancy Rotering said as she opened the weekend. “The Port Clinton Art Festival this weekend is an event that will be a treat for the senses,” she added about the annual art fair opening at 10 a.m. Saturday.  Former City Councilman Larry Silberman was partaking as …

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Retailers Seek Seats at Alliance Table

Merchants want more say in downtown events planning, development.

More than 25 Highland Park merchants showed up at a meeting of the Downtown Business Alliance (the Alliance) last Tuesday at City Hall, hoping to see the organization’s board restructured to allow more participation from their ranks in decisions that affect their businesses. Earlier: Downtown Alliance Builds on Successes A change to the Alliance bylaws to reduce the size of the board and include three representatives from the newly formed Highland Park Central Business District Retail Merchants Association was on the agenda. The 4-2 favorable vote was insufficient to make the change.  Unanimous isn't enough The Alliance is a partnership of the City of Highland Park, the Downtown Property Owners Association and the Chamber Commerce. The …

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Local Merchants Form New Group

Retailers and restaurateurs hope to shape downtown Highland Park.

A number of local merchants have formed the Highland Park Central Business District Retail Merchants Association to have a greater say in decisions surrounding the development of downtown Highland Park.  The merchants hope for a larger seat at the table of the Downtown Business Alliance. Known as the Alliance, that group is a partnership between the city, the Downtown Property Owners Association and the Chamber of Commerce. In the past, merchants have participated through the chamber.  A driving force behind the new effort is property owner Larry Hillman, a longtime advocate for greater merchant participation. He hopes to see that become a reality at the Alliance’s regularly scheduled meeting at 7:45 a.m. Tuesday at City Hall.  “We want …

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Larry Hillman

4:16 pm on Wednesday, August 10, 2011

The Alliance is funded by an extra tax paid only by CBD. Thats why its focus is on the CBD. Merchants of other areas are welcome to create the same tax/benefit situation.   more ›

Downtown Alliance Builds on Successes

Partnership accelerates effort to stimulate downtown Highland Park.

Entering its fourth year, Highland Park’s Downtown Business Alliance, better known as the Alliance, is adjusting to navigate the economic downturn that began about the same time the group was founded.  A partnership of the Downtown Property Owners Association, the Highland Park Chamber of Commerce and the city, the group was created in 2008 to stimulate commerce in the central business district.  In its initial stages, the Alliance has concentrated on developing infrastructure while sponsoring some events to bring more business to town.  Now it is hoping to turn the corner with the economy.  “We were focused on the building-end of what we were trying to do,” said Sarah Weibenson, the group's executive director. “We did a lot of work …

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