Terry D'Arcy Wants To Improve Joliet's Quality Of Life, Image

JOLIET, IL — Terry D'Arcy, president of D'Arcy Automobiles, told Joliet Patch's editor during an exclusive interview Monday that his campaign to become Joliet's next mayor involves three main goals: improving Joliet's quality of life, how city resources are allocated and improving how Joliet is viewed.

"Residents feel frustrated, and, in some cases, ignored when it comes to how the city is run and how and where resources are allocated," D'Arcy explained. "City leadership needs to do a better job of listening to our residents and restoring pride back in our city."

In the April 4 election, D'Arcy is trying to defeat two-term Joliet Mayor Bob O'Dekirk as well as a third candidate on the ballot, Tycee Bell. Bell's website states she "is a dedicated and efficient community strategist with over 20 years of nonprofit experience advocating for the growth and development of communities and families."

This marks O'Dekirk's first contested race since he became mayor in 2015 when he defeated Tom Giarrante in 2015. O'Dekirk didn't have any opponents in 2019.

One of D'Arcy's key goals, if elected, is to diversify Joliet's housing stock.

He said that Joliet needs to offer more housing for recent college graduates as well as empty-nesters. He said that many of Joliet's surrounding communities including Plainfield and Romeoville are doing a much better job in offering housing for people who are 55 and older as well as for college graduates from nearby Lewis University, the University of St. Francis and Joliet Junior College.

"We Just Need To Take Pride In Our City"

Another key aspect of his mayor's campaign is advocating for equal investment of Joliet resources for all the city's neighborhoods.

Joliet needs to expand the city's sidewalk repair program and address the numerous dilapidated and abandoned properties by getting them back on the property tax rolls, D'Arcy noted.

And to create more pride in Joliet, money and manpower must be reallocated for beautification projects, D'Arcy pointed out.

Citywide beautification projects would be a focal point of D'Arcy's tenure as mayor.

"We just need to take pride in our city, and we need to come off as a world-class city," D'Arcy told Joliet Patch on Monday. "If we think that way, we will be that way."

Joliet's Entrances Need Big Improvements

One of the main thoroughfares D'Arcy pointed out that could use improvement is the city's entrance on South Chicago Street, which is Route 53. D'Arcy said having nice gateways is essential, because these are the first impressions residents and visitors see when they come to Joliet.

Since his campaign announcement last June, D'Arcy has met with hundreds of citizens across Joliet. "A lot of people just don't feel like Joliet shows its pride when other people are entering our city the first time," D'Arcy remarked.

In last year's budget, the Joliet City Council appropriated more money toward city sidewalk repairs. D'Arcy said that under his tenure as mayor, expanding sidewalk repairs and street improvements would be a constant during all four years of his mayoral term, not just one of those years.

"We need to go through, section by section, of this community and make them better," D'Arcy said.

Joliet's Abundance Of Abandoned Properties

Another major campaign platform for D'Arcy is "addressing the abandoned properties."

"You drive around this town, and you see a lot of people getting away with doing nothing," D'Arcy said. To make sure his comment was not misconstrued, D'Arcy said his point is directed at the property owners and not city employees.

"I have the utmost respect for the city's employees," he said. "They're good people."

Among the notable empty buildings in downtown Joliet is the old Barrett's Hardware store.

It's now been three years since the Joliet City Council voted unanimously in favor of approving a large package of tax incentives for a Marriott Springhill Suites hotel at the vacant Barrett's Hardware store building, 65 N. Ottawa St.

In late 2018, Mike Patel, the owner of four Joliet hotel properties including the Best Western near the Louis Joliet Mall, purchased the empty Barrett's property in downtown Joliet.

Patel's plan to open the Springhill Suites never materialized, and his rundown old building remains empty.

Student Housing Needed In Downtown Joliet

D'Arcy wants to change the dynamics of Joliet's downtown by attracting student housing and business investment. After all, during the daytime, hundreds of students from Joliet Junior College and the University of St. Francis are attending their respective campus buildings.

"We can't wait for the future, we need to create it," D'Arcy said.

During his visits across the city, "a lot of people have lost hope. That's been a common denominator," D'Arcy said. And that's why "an equal distribution of city resources" has become one of D'Arcy's key campaign goals, if elected mayor.

D'Arcy said a number of older neighborhoods across Joliet have trees pushing through the sidewalks, everywhere from Richards Street on the east side to Parkview Subdivision on the west side at Barney Drive and Glenwood Avenue. "It's not just south and east," he said.

D'Arcy said he will make addressing the truck traffic, congestion and pollution a priority in terms of improving quality of life for residents.

Truck Traffic Needs Addressing

One of the ways Joliet can better address truck traffic is to become a better regional partner with neighboring communities and other elected officials, including Will County government, state and federal lawmakers.

"We need to be a better regional partner," D'Arcy said of Joliet.

D'Arcy said he notices properties the city has let sit, leaving them underutilized.

One example is the demolished Will County State's Attorney's Office building on North Chicago Street. Five years ago, in 2018, the building was bulldozed. Back then, city leaders talked about creating a downtown Joliet plaza similar in size to Chicago's Daley Plaza.

But that has not happened. Instead, the city awarded a contract to P.T. Ferro to pave a large city-owned parking lot, and that's how it remains in 2023.

Patch asked D'Arcy during Monday's interview what he wants to do with the large parking lot across from the Rialto Square Theatre.

"I would like to see it become a user-friendly festival space," D'Arcy said. "I think we need to have more downtown festivals. We've wasted so many years. It shouldn't take that long," referring to the city's concept plan of creating a plaza.

He said the property would be ideal for Joliet to host numerous classic car shows as well as a multitude of other unique city festivals.

"I just want to incite positive change into the city," D'Arcy explained. "I think we have so much more we can do. I love the city of Joliet. I'm confident I can be a great mayor for the city."

For more details of his campaign, visit the D'Arcy for Mayor website.