ROCHELLE — The City of Rochelle’s planned 2025 work includes a downtown improvement project, work on the intersection of Flagg Road and 20th Street, other infrastructure projects and work to attract new businesses.

City Manager Jeff Fiegenschuh spoke with the News-Leader on Dec. 18 and detailed the city’s 2025 plans.

After planning in 2024, the city will start work on the downtown improvement project funded by a $1.1 million grant that will include the construction of a structure with public restrooms, a stage and storage; constructing two new parking lots, and reconstructing seven existing parking lots. Plans for placing electric lines underground and constructing an urban park in the downtown area are also in the works.

Fiegenschuh said he was unsure if the work will be completed entirely in 2025, but it will be completed by summer 2026 in order for the Lincoln Highway Heritage Festival to return to the area in 2026 after it will be held at Atwood Park in 2025 while the work is done. 

“We thank them for accommodating us and for the work they do in town,” Fiegenschuh said. “I want to see more people volunteer with them and other organizations like that. It's going to be a lot of work. We certainly have to have it all done by the summer of 2026 so LHHF can return and so we won't negatively affect our businesses. We want to have ample parking for our businesses downtown and make sure our event space is available.”

The Flagg Road and 20th Street intersection improvements in conjunction with Ogle County will begin with utility relocation work in coming months before the intersection is widened and improved. 

Infrastructure work in 2025 will include a new iron removal plant at Well 8 to improve water service to Rochelle Municipal Utilities’ industrial customers, another year of sidewalk and street improvements, and the completion of painting of the water tower after it was also cleaned and maintenanced in 2024. The new look of the water tower will incorporate the previous purple color and Hub logo along with the city’s new branding font.

“The final look of it was supported by the public and the mayor and council,” Fiegenschuh said.  “That will be completed in 2025. It's a visible part of our community. People see that progress. I'm more excited about the fact that we've maintenanced the tower so we can provide clean, potable water for our residents. That has been completed already. The inside has been painted. Only the outside painting remains and that will be done in the spring.”

After establishing a new tax increment financing (TIF) district in the area of the Caron Ridge Shopping Center (former site of Sullivan’s Foods) to incentivize redevelopment, the city hopes to see a business locate in that building or area in 2025. 

“We want to have a development agreement with a business to locate in that Eastern Gateway TIF and do some kind of improvements, either at the shopping center or along Illinois Route 38 in the area that was included in the TIF as well,” Fiegenschuh said. “Our community development department is working on that and has met with a hotel developer potentially looking at a site along Illinois Route 38. That doesn't mean it will equate to a project. Our staff works hard to turn those inquiries into projects.”

The city also hopes to bring a new developer to its available industrial properties in 2025. That work will be spearheaded by new Economic Development Director Tom Demmer following the retirement of Jason Anderson in 2024. Fiegenschuh said he’s also looking forward to continuing to enhance partnerships with current businesses in Rochelle. 

The city manager said one project that will begin to take shape in 2025 is a new electrical substation on the west side of town on Illinois Route 38 to improve reliability and load capacity. The project will include 10 miles of transmission line between the new substation and others at Ritchie Road and Twombly Road. The project will cost north of $20 million and is currently in the easement acquisition phase.

In 2025 the city council may also consider updating its strategic plan to make sure each council member has input on the direction Rochelle is headed in. 

“We also plan to work on some more community engagement like coffee with the city manager and Citizens Academy where people can come and learn about our departments,” Fiegenschuh said. “We want to be as transparent as possible and get people involved. I'm excited for 2025.”