Batavia Illinois – The 5th Ward

In a detailed presentation to the City Council on January 20, Batavia Main Street unveiled the results of its 2025 “Business Pulse” survey, offering a candid look at the economic realities facing the city’s downtown merchants. The findings sparked a robust discussion among alderpersons regarding landlord accountability, the aesthetics of downtown streetscapes, and a surprising data disconnect between the city and its business community.

The “Business Pulse”: Seasonal Lows and Digital Needs

The survey, conducted by Batavia Main Street through 29 retention and expansion visits, provided a confidential platform for business owners to voice their challenges. The results painted a picture of a resilient but seasoned business community grappling with distinct cyclical hurdles.

Seasonal Sales Patterns & Traffic Drivers

• Cyclical Revenue: Businesses reported a distinct seasonal cycle, with the slowest months occurring from January through early May.
• Peak Periods: The strongest sales periods are the summer (driven by the Farmers Market season) and the holiday season.
• Critical Drivers: Foot traffic is identified as a critical driver for revenue, with sales often directly tied to in-business events and promotions.

Top Business Priorities

Businesses identified three primary goals for the upcoming year:

1. Increasing Sales & Traffic: Through enhanced marketing, more in-store events, and a stronger online presence.
2. Revenue Diversification: Growing product lines, offering new services or workshops, and adding e-commerce options to reduce reliance on foot traffic.
3. Operational Stability: Reducing the impact of seasonality and improving internal processes.

Primary Challenges & Pain Points

• External Factors: Businesses cited weather sensitivity, street closures, and unpredictable weekday/lunch traffic as major hurdles.
• Landlord & Rent Issues: A significant pain point was rising rents occurring without corresponding building improvements or increased foot traffic. Businesses also noted issues with deferred maintenance and a lack of available mid-sized spaces.
• City Processes: Permitting and city processes were described as inconsistent or unclear, with some owners feeling there is a lack of follow-up or delayed approvals.
• Streetscape & Visibility: Complaints included limited pedestrian flow, poor signage/wayfinding, and dissatisfaction with the maintenance of public landscaping (specifically native plantings looking “leggy and weedy”).
• Workforce: Recruiting, training, and retaining quality employees remains a struggle.

Support Needs & Engagement

• Current Resources: Batavia Main Street is the primary resource for businesses, utilizing email and merchant meetings. Experiences with the Chamber of Commerce and Small Business Development Centers were mixed.
• Desired Support: There is high interest in assistance with marketing and branding (SEO, social media), signage and facade grants, and digital tools/e-commerce.
• “Hand-Holding”: Many downtown shops are “micro-businesses” unfamiliar with city bureaucracy; they requested more “hand-holding” and assistance navigating city processes and grants.
• Economic Development: Businesses expressed a craving for increased communication and engagement directly from the city’s Economic Development team.

Identified Opportunities for Growth

The survey highlighted several areas where the city and Main Street could collaborate to improve the business environment:

• Infrastructure: Better parking management, clear wayfinding/signage, and public amenities like riverfront maintenance and public bathrooms.
• Programming: Expanding events to include “winter programming” to combat the slow season and increasing collaborative marketing
• Landlord Accountability: Fostering better collaboration with landlords to ensure transparent processes and flexible spaces

“They really need a little bit more hand-holding than maybe a larger business might,” the Batavia Main Street representative told the council, noting that many downtown shops are owner-operated with little time to spare for bureaucracy.

Council Reaction: “Leggy” Plants and Absentee Landlords

The presentation triggered immediate feedback from the council, particularly regarding the physical appearance of the downtown district.

Streetscape Scrutiny:

Aldermen discussed merchant complaints that recent native plantings looked “leggy and weedy” rather than vibrant. “If we can control what our streets look like… that was just something that everybody felt like we could do a better job making the streets look beautiful,” the Main Street representative noted.

Council members suggested looking to local examples like Culver’s, which successfully mixes perennials and annuals for full, colorful garden beds. Public Works is scheduled to meet with Main Street leadership immediately to address these concerns before the spring planting season.

The Landlord Dilemma:

While the council celebrated active property owners—such as the group redeveloping 15 East Wilson Street—they acknowledged the drag caused by disengaged landlords.

“It’s concerning that we have these wonderful properties with owners who are not always engaged… paying attention,” said one alderperson, suggesting the council dedicate time this year to finding levers that encourage property owners to maintain their assets.

The “Data Disconnect” and Proposed Registry

Perhaps the most significant revelation of the night was a gap in communication infrastructure. During the discussion, it became apparent that while Batavia Main Street maintains a contact list of downtown businesses, the City of Batavia itself lacks a comprehensive repository for all businesses town-wide (including those outside the downtown core).

“I was a little discouraged to know that we don’t have a contact list for all the businesses in our town… that kind of threw me for a loop,” said one council member.

This revelation reignited a debate over creating a formal Business Registry. While previously dismissed due to lack of appetite, the council agreed that a registry might be necessary to ensure the city can effectively communicate with its industrial and commercial base, especially during emergencies or when rolling out new grant programs.

Next Steps: “Office Hours” and Industrial Tours

To bridge the gap between City Hall and the business community, the council and staff outlined several immediate actions:

1. Economic Development “Office Hours”: The city is exploring a monthly “open house” where business owners can drop by City Hall to discuss permits, grants, or general Q/A without a formal appointment.
2. Business Pulse Survey and Unified Data Strategy: A dedicated discussion will be scheduled to explore the creation of a city-wide business registry to ensure no business is left out of the loop.  In addition, to review each of the findings of the business pulse survey and discuss how the city council can assist or remedy the issues.
3. Council Walking Tours: Mayor Schielke and the council proposed initiating “evening walks” in the spring and summer. These tours would take aldermen through both the west and east sides of downtown, as well as historic industrial buildings on North River Street that are ripe for redevelopment.

“We’ve put a lot of ideas and good thoughts on the table,” Mayor Schielke concluded. “I think we have a staff and a council that is going to be very active with this plan.”

Author: Jim Fahrenbach

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