Salvagable Parts: Six Possible Centers

Since creating mixed uses and density are the more difficult of the four generators of diversity, it is necessary to place priority on finding locations with these characteristics. Small blocks and variously aged buildings are easily retrofitted.

Downtown LaSalle

The largest of the salvageable areas, downtown LaSalle has a lot of mixed use buildings that could accommodate a good amount of density. The blocks are fairly small--even smaller if you include alleys. However most buildings are older. The new buildings built on 3rd Street lack the mixed use and density of the buildings south of 2nd. Luckily there are plenty of empty patches in the urban fabric for new construction to take place without demolishing the old!

Downtown Peru

Peru's downtown is much smaller. Yet it has two solid blocks of mixed use dense structures. There are a few newer buildings, most notably the Mirror Building. If this area expanded a bit, they might be a pretty decent place. I will refer to this area as Ninewah, since it is at the heart of the original Ninewah Addition to Peru.

Some Fun Laws on LaSalle's Books

§ 74.02  LICENSE REQUIRED; APPLICATION.

       (A)  No bicycle shall be ridden on the streets of the city or public way by the owner or any other person unless properly licensed.

       (B)  Application for a license to own and operate a bicycle shall be made to the Chief of Police upon a form to be provided by the Chief of Police. The application shall be accompanied by a fee of $0.50 to be paid at the time of issuance of the license, which fee shall be in full payment of said license for that calendar year.

(Ord. 735, passed 9-5-1967)

§ 93.008  EXPECTORATING ON SIDEWALK

UNLAWFUL.

       It shall be unlawful for any person to expectorate or spit upon any sidewalk or upon the floor of any public building or room used for public assemblies.

(1963 Code, § 6-2-20)  Penalty, see § 93.999

  

§ 133.15  HYPNOTISTS PROHIBITED.

       It shall be unlawful for any person to practice hypnotism or for any person to be a subject for such hypnotist provided that this shall not apply to hypnotism as used in the treatment of patients by an accredited doctor of medicine or doctor of dentistry nor shall it prohibit the teaching of hypnotism In any state accredited educational institution which maintains an academic standard of the college level.

(1963 Code, § 6-2-24)  Penalty, see § 133.99

Demographic History

I was exploring old Census Data and constructed the following graphs and tables. All data is for the municipalities and not the townships.

LaSalle peaks in 1930 with 13,149 residents.
Peru peaks in 1970 with 11,772 residents.
The greatest total population of the combined LaSalle-Peru was in 1970 with 22,508 residents. 

I've highlighted all growth rates greater than 10% in red and all growth rates less than zero in yellow; completely arbitrary colours that might have been better chosen.