Accessible Cities Alliance - Promoting Disability compliance in the business community

Sunday, January 15, 2006

By John K. Ryan, The Star

Those involved with organizations striving to improve accessibility for the disabled said it is an uphill battle, but progress has been made.

Pam Heavens is executive director of the Will-Grundy Center for Independent Living, which is part of the Accessible Cities Alliance.

The organization works with several others — often in the building industry — in the Joliet area to promote disability compliance in the business communities of Will and Grundy counties.

"It's a challenge to get voluntary compliance," said Heavens, who has been in a wheelchair for 28 years due to cerebral palsy.

"We're trying to raise awareness for these businesses to let them know it's a win-win situation for disabled people and business owners," she said.

"By becoming accessible, it opens the doors to a lot more customers for them."

Audrey McCrimon backed this assertion with statistics showing that 20 percent of Americans have some sort of disability.

McCrimon is assistant to the secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services' division of compliance, accessibility and workplace safety.

"Who wants to miss out on that much business?" she said.

"Making renovations to become more accessible is worth the investment. And businesses can get a tax credit on such work if it is extensive enough."

Businesses also may take advantage of programs set up by area banks, such as Founders and First Midwest.

The program at Founders offers loans for renovation projects at 0.5 percent below its standard business loan interest rate. The program also waives the bank's documentation prep fee.

Loan terms vary depending on loan structure and type and the maximum loan is $250,000 per borrower.

"It makes good sense for a business to make itself accessible to as many customers as possible," said Mike Rittof, branch president of Founders Bank's west region.

"If I owned a restaurant or similar type of business, and could open it up to 20 percent more people by making renovations, I would do so.

"The program also may help some of our customers who represent that 20 percent of the population that has some sort of disability."

First Midwest's program offers a 0.25 percent reduction of rates and waiving of closing fees on business loans acquired for renovations toward ADA compliance.

Robert Sistek, community reinvestment officer at First Midwest Bank, said this is simply good business.

"A component of the (Accessible Cities Alliance) is to encourage businesses to voluntarily retrofit their commercial real estate and businesses to comply with the ADA," he said.

"With this rehabilitation and newfound accessibility, it is anticipated that businesses will gain the potential of increased business activity and increased value.

"It is also anticipated that the accessibility these improvements will create will enhance the quality of life for our community's disabled persons."

Both banks offer the special loan programs through Heaven's organization and the Accessible Cities Alliance.

Heavens said her group visits area restaurants, often at the request of the businesses, to offer suggestions on how to become more accessible.

One such site that has made a slew of renovations in an effort to lure the disabled is the Public Landing restaurant in Lockport. The site is the oldest limestone building in Illinois.

The restaurant is in the Gaylord Building, a historical site which also houses the Illinois and Michigan Canal Museum.

Among the changes at the 175-year-old, three-story structure is an elevator that was installed 20 years ago.

In the past five years, a sloping walkway was installed and several changes were made to the restaurant's rest rooms.

"We put in wider doors and stalls, and installed lower urinals and paper towel dispensers," said Dick Senese, owner of Public Landing.

"The renovations were put in to accommodate anyone looking to patronize our business."

Senese said the business tends to attract an older crowd and sees a fair amount of diners in wheelchairs.

"One of my best customers who came in here every day for either lunch or dinner was in a wheelchair. Unfortunately, he just passed away over the holidays," Senese said.

Coleman, a wheelchair user due to spinal muscular atrophy, said a modification made by a diner gave her a unique experience.

"The diner had removed a few of their standard stools at the counter, which allowed me to eat at a counter for the first time in my life. It was a fun experience."

John K. Ryan may be reached at jryan@starnewspapers.com or (708) 802-8807.

IF YOU GO ...

WHAT: Accessibility workshop, sponsored by the Accessible Cities Alliance, and open to anyone in the building industry.

WHERE: Republic Hall, 113 Republic Ave., Joliet

WHEN: 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Feb. 23.

REGISTRATION: (815) 729-0162.

Seeking improvement