I saw something interesting today. A For Sale sign from Maloof Commercial sign on a vacant lot at 1105 W Florence. The empty lot right next door to Firehouse #11.
A little background first. Some years ago (maybe 3 or 4) the neighbors in this area were up in arms over two things. The closing of the #11 Firehouse and the fact the R J Distributing wanted to expand by tearing down the house at 1105. They objected to the fact that heavy trucks would be using Florence, a street that runs east and west between Sheridan and University and also has Thomas Jefferson grade school almost right across the street. R J is owned by Robert Jockisch and as been a beer distributor on Parish (3605) well since I was a kid growing up right next door. Back in those days, they sold the old Drewry’s beer line that featured a Canadian Mountie on the can.
Jockisch even went so far as to ask for and got permission from IDOT to build an entrance only lane onto east bound 150 (War Memorial) so his trucks would enter from Florence and exit via War Memorial.
What the neighbors didn’t know is that the two houses built on Parish Ave for himself (Robert) and his brother, while residences, were in fact zoned commercial from day one as was the house his parents owned, the now razed house at the vacant lot at 1105 Florence.
Also in this mix, it was rumored the old man Jockisch that sold the city the land Station #11 is on, there is supposed to be a stipulation that if the city abandoned the station, Jockisch would have first rights to the land thus sewing up a complete block of commercial zoned land to expand their business. That was about to happen some years back when the city announced the plan to close and abandon this station. Jockisch, whose father had passed, put his mother in another residence and was ready for the big expansion dispute the neighbors who went before the city council and were turned away. Why? Well the land is commercially zoned and the business is grandfathered in so really, there was nothing they could do except get the usual do nothing concessions that our council hands out to screwed property owners. A beauty fence and some bushes with landscaping. The neighbors had to reside to the fact that big semi’s would be rumbling by there homes to feed the R J Distributing company which now handles, among others, Coors Beer.
Now fast forward to today. The firehouse was never abandoned as the uproar from the area it served saved it to some extent. The old beer warehouse and house of the founder RJ himself have been razed and now sits a “For Sale” sign on it from Maloof Commercial.
This means, a rather quite neighborhood with a nice school (Thomas Jefferson) and a cul de sac (Twelve Oaks Dr) may now see a Taco Bell or a Buffalo Wild Wings or a Cash America or anything that may be developed on a commercial lot. Knowing who is in charge of the Second District in which this land sits, hell they could get anything but there are two things these people won’t see. An Arbor and ornamental lighting. Looks as though RJ Distributing has no plans to expand their business.
Funny how things change. I feel for these neighbors as these homes are +$100,000 homes in the heart of the city and somehow, seeing a kid bang the dumpster 6 times a night or hearing the drive thru speaker isn’t going to help these values. On the other hand, maybe a dentist or doctor will build. After all, in this economy, it seems the health care profession isn’t suffering. Still, I don’t see that happening because of the size of the lot and comparing that to the palaces a couple of doctors have built themselves on Knoxville, it isn’t big enough.
Careful what you wish for…
6 comments:
Don't agree with your assessment that's it's fault of 2nd District council person alone that Station 11 is not full staffed.
But I agree with concern about effect this will have on neighborhood.
Randy,
It is my understanding that no agreement for access to War Memorial US 150 was ever acoomplished with IDOT according to the Jockishes. A new state of art and much bigger RJ Distributing is being built off I74 in East Peoria near the Catepillar Dealership. RJ Distributing territory goes all the way to Chaaampaign/Urbana and they really needed a location with better access.
It is NOT surprising that that Brewers is off Route 6 for the same reason having moved from North Galena Road. While I am sure you were a child when RJ pushed Dewey beer at the same location, that location was then at the edge of Peoria. It has just been 43 years since the Richwoods annexation which gobbled up the then developingg surrounding neighborhoods and the ever escalating expansion of Peoria began in serious style. In the same 40 plus years RJ has expanded their lines several times and have ran out of available land for what is generally a singlee story multiplee access type of operation.
With limited access to War Memorial although great visability, the property will suffer with potential uses but rather it's greatest value would be the expansion of the car dealership.
Whatever the next use, I do agree that Rj Distributing was at least the known devil and I don't mean that negatively. The zoning will open up alternatives that may present much bigger issues and challenges for the surrounding residential nieghborhood.
The City has grown around a business that has been successful and the business also grew without enough land to absorb that growth or with quality access to the road network to continue that properity.
I see nothing to blame or no one to point fingers at, its merely a case where a business was forced into making a business decion to compete. That business fond landd in the area that met its needs that the business could afford and they are expanding based of the infrastructure capacity. Happens everyday, everywhere.
Norma, the Matriarch of the Jockish clan was "moved" to Buehler Home just up the street from where she lived most of her life until her passing a couple years back. Her home was torn down last year. Her boys, Gordon and Bob moved from their houses between Fire House 11 and War Memorial 15 years or so ago so this was the logical next shoe to drop.
Billy: I am not blaming any second district council person. Just saying the neighborhood, the one I grew up in that was peaceful and quite despite the fact it was so close to University is now going to be even less so.
Gary: I fully understand the need for RJ to expand and understand why. I just remember the agony they put many neighbors through with their then planned expansion at their site and yes, someone even suggested at the time that maybe they build a new plant out north or in East Peoria which they rejected. Now, that has all changed and it makes me sad that if they sell the entire land RJ sits on, it will bring all that closer to what was a nice residential neighborhood and more traffic near a primary school. I just remembered what it was like growing up in that area and hate to see it go. I am not making any blame at all.
But, what happens there in the future should be watch carefully.
Archie: isn't it funny how Maloof got so big in the realty business while he was Mayor and shortly after? You don't think his passing (or pissing) as you would put it,on the gambling boat was influenced by the bigs in town, and the purists, in exchange for future business do you-how many of his signs have you seen in front of commercial properties for sale-no coincidence, believe me!Take him and his friends for what they are worth!
Randy,
How long had they owned the other house that was torn down next to 1105 Florence, the little white one at the stop sign? As I live in the neighborhood and have seen 5 home been razzed in the past year for empty lots
The house (white block) at 1111 was the original house for RJ and his wife and the building behind it was the original warehouse. Around 1958, the house at 1105 was built. I have pictures of it from my backyard circa 1959. As for other homes that have been razed at the other end of Florence, First Federated Church has been buying houses and along Avalon (the little dead end section) supposedly to expand their parking lot.
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