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(09/23/03 5:25am)
As IU students and their parents balance their budgets to weigh the economic and social living options in Bloomington for next year, more choices will be available. \nThe Kirkwood, the Smallwood Plaza and Regester Place represent an economic expansion in Bloomington that is designed to attract more students through apartment living and student-oriented businesses. \nThese "big box" housing units are expected to affect the smaller house renters market just like Wal-Mart, Lowe's and Menard's affect their respective markets.\n"Older property owners will hurt," said Patrick Connor, executive director of IU Residential Programs and Services. "New properties, even if they are higher priced, are usually 100 percent sell-outs when they first open.\n"Students want to be the first to live in a new place," he said. "Our research shows that everyone else loses."\nIU programs try to house about one-third of the student population in traditional dormitories and apartments, Connor said. Freshmen have little choice. They are required to live on campus starting this year.\n"Students choose to live on campus for convenience and the all inclusive value-added amenities," he said. "We have enough housing to satisfy our demand and are currently at 97 percent of capacity."
(09/16/03 6:02am)
The loud and rumbling sounds not only come from the heavy construction of three new towers on the west side of downtown, but also from the amplified excitement and optimism of the city's government, community and business leaders.\nThe Smallwood Plaza, The Regester Place and The Kirkwood will breathe long-needed life back into downtown Bloomington. By this time next year 1,300 new residents and a 100-room hotel will combine with 40,000 new square feet of commercial/retail space and the most parking spaces the area has ever enjoyed. Local leaders believe the stage is set for increased economic expansion.\n"I recall seeing a 1966 news article by an IU professor that said the downtown area would never come back. It's amazing that so much gets done in a small-town base of about 35,000 permanent residents," said Steve Howard, President of the Bloomington Chamber of Commerce.\nAt a time when many downtown areas are struggling through a restructuring economy, Bloomington appears to be shifting into overdrive for a strong prosperous future.
(09/09/03 5:51am)
A gaze toward the skyline of downtown Bloomington's west side quickly fixates on the structural skeletons of four construction cranes. They hover ominously over their worksites, as if they're trying to magically pull high-rise developments from the limestone base of south-central Indiana.\nA closer inspection reveals the construction of three new buildings that will primarily bring students and some professionals into an area historically dominated by government and business operations.\nBy this time next year, the last red brick will be in place and developers believe that their facilities will be fully occupied. More than 1,300 new residents, retail and commercial tenants will populate the three complexes: The Smallwood Plaza, The Mercury at the Register and The Kirkwood complexes.\n"It's what I like to call big city amenities in a small town setting," said Jim Murphy, president of CFC, Inc., the developer of The Kirkwood.\n"This era is an exciting time for Bloomington because of a long-time struggle to get people living downtown," Murphy said.\nAll three of the projects, within a 15-minute walk of the Sample Gates, offer apartments with cable and high-speed Internet connections, secure living and major appliances including a washer and dryer. Smallwood offers two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments with common laundry facilities for the two-bedroom units. The Mercury and Kirkwood have one-, two- and three-bedroom units. Each of the residential communities offers a unique and different living experience.
(07/31/03 1:38am)
Where did you get those cool shoes? They just might have an IU connection. \nAn IU-Bloomington and IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis law school graduate stood with members of his management team July 15 atop the opening platform above the NASDAQ Stock Market in New York City to start the day's trading. Alan H. Cohen, president and chief executive officer of The Finish Line, Inc., was invited by NASDAQ officials to help celebrate the opening of the Finish Line's 500th retail location.\n"It was quite an enjoyable experience to be at the NASDAQ with many people from the home office and employees from the New York area," Cohen said. \nCohen attributes the company's success to his people's ability to maintain their focus on the market. "We know who and what we are," Cohen said. "People need to eat, a place to live, clothes and shoes." \nHe pointed out that athletic shoes are universal wear and that people wear them for sports, as casual wear or even to church.\nCould his success be duplicated by other IU students? "Absolutely," he said, though he admitted maybe not in his industry. "Be ready to seize an opportunity. Catch an idea at the beginning and position yourself to take advantage of the situation."\nCohen said the best advice for IU students is to stay connected.\n"Don't burn any bridges and work to keep your options open," Cohen said. He admitted he was a C student and didn't take school as seriously as he could have until he worked at a law internship and saw the practical application of what he was learning.\nHe attributes an undergraduate business law class as a turning point in the direction of his academic career. \nThe Indianapolis native and son of a lawyer recommends that students "find a direction and make certain" to concentrate on their general area of interest. Cohen understands those students are not thinking about the same things as older adults. However, he said he feels it is important to make friends and enjoy college life.\n"It's the best years I ever experienced," Cohen said. \nAccording to the company's Web site, Cohen started the enterprise with childhood friend David Klapper in 1976 as a single store franchise of the Athlete's Foot. By 1981, the business had expanded to 10 stores when the franchise with the Athlete's Foot expired. The Finish Line, Inc., was born and the management team expanded to open stores in other states.\nFrom the very beginning The Finish Line focused on brand-name athletic shoes such as Nike, Adidas, Reebok, New Balance, Saucony, Fila, Timberland and others. Shoes for basketball, running, walking, hiking, cross-training, aerobics and other categories fill a typical store with as many as 1,300 different kinds of footwear. In 2002, based on sales revenue, the company became the nation's second largest athletic retailer. About 20 percent of the company's sales come from apparel and accessory brands such as Nike, Oakley, Adidas, Fossil, Jansport, collegiate sportswear and other popular lines.\n"The 500th store actually opens in the Mall of America in Minneapolis this Friday," said Elise Hasbrook, The Finish Line's corporate spokesperson. "Our plans are to increase our number of stores to 523 by next spring." \nHasbrook touted an optimistic strategy in a promotionally competitive environment.\n"We focus on product instead of price," she said. \nThe stores offer many price points and all are doing well -- retro shoes and apparel are providing a boost to sales right now, she said.\nHeadquartered in Indianapolis, The Finish Line currently sells athletic shoes and apparel in 46 states. The stock symbol FINL currently is traded at about $22 per share. Historically, the stock sold for less than $5 per share in the early 1990s and split in 1997 when the stock reached $25 dollars per share.\nCohen is a member of the Board of Visitors at the IUPUI law school and is on the Dean's Advisory Council at the Kelley School of Business. He is also a member of the IU Foundation's President Circle and was the Kelley Distinguished Entrepreneur in 1997.
(06/05/03 1:21am)
It takes more than duct tape to survive a state of emergency. Tornados, floods, earthquakes and Mother Nature's other furies can combine with fire, reactive and explosive chemicals and other man-made disasters to create a job and a nightmare for those involved in emergency preparedness. Add the intent to harm, and the level of risk rises.\nPreparation is key. That's why more than 150 Indiana emergency management officials met on Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss their experiences and strategies for preparedness incase of a crisis.\nThe 15th-annual meeting of the Indiana Forum for Environmental Safety at the Valle Vista Conference Center in Greenwood, Ind., drew representatives from industry, law enforcement, regulatory agencies, local emergency planning committees, emergency management agencies, health, safety and environmental professionals.\n"The conference is really showing that the Indiana emergency response professional is safeguarding the public by planning and preparing for incidents from hazardous materials to natural disasters," said Susan Gross, the marketing director for the event. She said continual learning updates are important to the industry.\nEven before the opening remarks, the room was filled with the talk of the attendees as they networked to share their experiences with industry peers.\n"The purpose of the forum is to bring the regulators and the regulated together in a non-confrontational discussion," said Stephen Nash, conference chairperson, after he welcomed the attendees. \nNash said some of the Indiana hazardous material spill rules were an outgrowth of previous forums' discussions. \nThe forum offered 14 different sessions plus the Occupational Safety & Health Organization certification refresher courses. Transportation of dangerous goods, environmental crimes, liability, mock disaster exercises and media communications headlined the courses. Many were led by nationally known industry and agency officials trying to be proactive about compliance issues.\n"Improper hazardous material handling is a potential criminal issue, especially any intentional act," said Penny Prochazka, an EPA criminal investigator, as she prepared her presentation. The EPA assists local and state officials with education and enforcement.\nSeveral local officials attended the conference and one presented preparedness exercises. \nFor mock disasters, exercises "add to the realism, and paint a picture for the participants," Ed Vande Sande said to his discussion group. \nVande Sande is the director of disaster and emergency services for the Bloomington Red Cross and serves on the local emergency planning committee. The Red Cross provides shelter and mass care during crisis and is the only non-government response agency, he said.\nFinding problems before they happen is paramount to emergency services. For instance, when 2,500 cell phones are in use at one time in Bloomington, the system crashes, Vande Sande said. He suggested backup communications.\nIt takes cooperation between the public and private sector, said John Hooker III, director of emergency management for Monroe County, after the exercise session.\nHooker said he is proud of the top Level A Hazmat rating of the Bloomington Fire Department and its community involvement. \nCommunication with the public was also discussed during one of the sessions. Nationally-known communications specialist Charles Webster, called for truth and honesty about the events surrounding the crisis and the alignment of one's goals with the media to avoid confrontation. \nWebster made the entire audience repeat what he called the hardest words to say to the media: "I don't know."\nWebster told the audience following this statement with a promise to find out and delivering an accurate report makes the most logical sense.\nAbout a dozen exhibitors had booths to tell conference attendees about their services and products.\nFunds raised by the event will be used for college scholarships.
(06/02/03 12:41am)
The typical cookouts and picnics of summer seem plentiful enough to leave no one hungry, but still, there are still many people left without food.\nThe needs of the summer are the very reason that some of the IU faculty and staff are drawing attention to the Community Kitchen of Monroe County. For the third year, Grace Carpenter, a receptionist in the IU School of Journalism, is spearheading a drive for donations. Carpenter said she hopes people will provide several hundred dollars worth of non-perishable goods and cash donations before the June 13 deadline.\n"Summer is a time when people don't think of food and money donations to the Kitchen," Carpenter said.\nThe population of visitors to the Kitchen rises with the summertime heat. Julio Alonso, executive director of the Kitchen, said they served a record 18,000 meals during July 2002.\n"It's our most challenging time of year," Alonso said. "June, July and August are our busiest months. Expenses go up and funding goes down." \nAlonso said he encourages any individual or organization to help.\n"We mostly depend on private donations," Alonso said. \nHe said many donations such as this food drive provide a substantial part of the Kitchen's resources. \nCarpenter attributes her motivation to run the drive to journalism professor Paul Voakes. \n"People have needs, and Paul goes every week to volunteer at the Kitchen," Carpenter said. "I admire him so much. I've been homeless and know what its like."\nEven though Carpenter is quick to credit Voakes for his positive influence, he insists the idea for the food drive was hers. \nVoakes describes his addiction to serving his neighbors. He said when he misses his shift at the Kitchen, he misses seeing his friends -- the staff, volunteers and visitors. \n"I gain a lot from Bloomington and feel an obligation to give back," he said. \nHe described his service as a way to keep in touch with reality and maintain a fresh perspective about life.\nCarpenter, Voakes and Alonso pointed out that the working poor are struggling. Carpenter said many people work multiple jobs, sell their homemade items and barter their labor to make ends meet but still don't have enough money for food.\nThe Kitchen's patrons "wear the uniforms of maid services, fast food restaurants, supermarkets and many other local businesses," Voakes said. Some are senior citizens with only Social Security as their source of income, he said.\nThis is an urgent time of the year for the Kitchen in general, but Alonso said he worries about the community's children. More than 3,000 students get reduced or free lunch, and the Kitchen only feeds about 200 school-age children during the summer. He said he thinks if the children might be missing a meal, the community should make sure the children are fed.\nThe Kitchen is currently launching its summer breakfast program for the sixth year. Bagged meals are delivered to six locations for distribution to children of low-income families. As an example of the Kitchen's needs, more than 1,000 box drinks per week are used for the summertime children's program. \nAlthough the Kitchen provides meals with no questions asked, Alonso said he believes that almost all of those served live in Bloomington.\nIf you are interested in donating food or money, contact Grace Carpenter at 855-9247 or bring donations to Ernie Pyle Hall, Room 200.\nContact the Community Kitchen at 332-0999. The Kitchen has two locations -- 917 S. Rogers St., and Community Kitchen Express, 1100 W. 11th St.