Bloomington's Penn American development progress exceeds expectations

Development of the Penn American residential and commercial district in Bloomington is beginning to take shape, and the city likes the shape it's taking.

With the new Red Robin restaurant opening this week, along with the opening of the Fresh Thyme Market in September, Penn American's second phase is nearly complete.

Still to come is a Home2 Suites hotel, set to open early next year. The entire area is served by a new underground parking garage.

Reflecting the maturation of the district, the city has reset the area's assessed value and projected tax revenue. The new value is set at $69 million, up 73 percent from the original 2011 estimate of $40 million.

Projected incremental tax revenue from the district is $7.5 million, nearly double the $4 million that was projected when the district was created.

"When we set the budget [in 2011], we set it during the recession," said Doug Grout, administrator of the Bloomington Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA). "You generally want to set it conservatively; you have to be realistic in your projections of what the district might ­produce.

"We thought this would be a good chance to capture the expense of the HRA."

Glen Markegard, Bloomington's planning manager, said the new grocery has sparked interest from residential developers, who see it as an important anchor for the neighborhood.

"I'm optimistic we'll see additional residential development in the district soon," Markegard said.

In a mature suburb like Bloomington, it's important for the city to be smart about working with developers who can help maximize the value of the city's land, Grout said.

"It's a lot more difficult than developing open land," he said. "The land is going to cost more than a bean field in the exurbs. And that's where you get creative.

"The great thing about Bloomington is, it's still growing. … Sometimes things happen on their own, and ­sometimes they require assistance."