Newsletter

The President’s Message

November 26, 2014 / Comments Off / Posted in: December Newsletter 2014, The President's Message

December 2014 Greetings friends & neighbors!

The holidays are here and with that comes a fast approach to the end of another year. We’ve seen a good deal go on within our neighborhood…a lot of activity.

The year started quietly but picked up quickly as Spring arrived.

The application by Westminster church for a Certificate of Appropriateness for the installation of a digital sign began a long journey in April. Well intentioned discussions and very honest and open dialogue with the team from Westminster has shown us how “neighbors” should address disagreements. However, we remain in disagreement over the application. This situation will play itself out over the coming months as the issue is slated for final resolution at either the meeting in December or January. We, as an organization, will stand in opposition of the application.

May brought us our annual membership Pot Luck Dinner and meeting which had record attendance. We also saw the Peoria Marathon literally run through our neighborhood. We received a number of accolades from the event organizer regarding our hospitality and support.

Holiday Party 2014 Early June saw the 34th Annual Moss Avenue Antique Sale & Festival bloom into a great success. With record participation and attendance, the event will help MBRA with its annual Hanging of the Greens as well as help seed further re-investment into our neighborhood.

Past re-investment activities have included antique stop sign posts and purchasing shares in the Moss Bradley Revolving Fund. Tentative plans for this year’s proceeds are to continue to invest in antique stop sign posts further into the neighborhoods and with a few more successful sales continue that process until the entire Moss Bradley neighborhood has these stop sign posts.

July brought us two items of note: The Annual Fourth of July concert and interest in the old Washington School location. A beautiful summer day greeted nearly 150 neighbors as we savored Spotted Cow ice cream, children rode ponies and we all listened to the Peoria Pops.

This was quickly followed by a membership meeting to discuss two RFP’s that had been presented to the City of Peoria for the purchase of Washington School -most notably from Montessori School. A presentation was held followed by a vibrant question and answer session. Membership voted on approval of the RFP which was presented to the City of Peoria and then approved by the city council. The purchase of Washington School by Montessori is still in process as the team from Montessori works through a number of challenges that have arisen. It continues to be their hope to complete the purchase and begin school in the fall of 2015.

Much has happened this year and we all have a lot to be thankful for. I invite all of you to attend our Annual Holiday party which takes place on Friday, December 5th at the home of Jim Adams. Details for this event can be found within the newsletter. And don’t forget to take part in the Peoria Historical Society’s “Splendor of Christmas Past”, a tour of five historical homes in two historic districts of Peoria. The tours take place on Saturday, December 6th and Sunday December 7th. You can find more information within this newsletter or by visiting the PHS website at peoriahistoricalsociety.org.

From the Board of Directors for the Moss Bradley Residential Association, we wish all of you a Happy Holidays and prosperous New Year!

Brian Buralli

Leaders Under Forty – Brian Gruber

November 26, 2014 / Comments Off / Posted in: December Newsletter 2014

An account executive with Gallagher Coyle, Brian L. Gruber is responsible for new business development to grow the firm’s commercial property and casualty insurance division. A rising star in the industry, he advises clients on employee benefit plans, consults on insurance and risk management, and works to create loss control programs and safety initiatives that help reduce risk and promote a safer work environment.

A Peoria native, Gruber left the area for six years, returning with his wife and two children in 2012. Upon his return, he wasted no time re-engaging with a range of community organizations. A board member of the Alzheimer’s Association of Central Illinois, he has volunteered numerous times on the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Committee and co-chaired the 2005 Walk, which raised more than $100,000 for the organization. In 2013 and 2014, he served on the Kentucky Derby Party Committee and currently sits on the Development Committee, Audit Committee and Compensation Committee.

Gruber was a founding member of EPIC (Emerging Philanthropists in Central Illinois), a fund within the Community Foundation of Central Illinois, and serves on the Animal Welfare Grant Review Committee. A strong supporter of Easter Seals, he volunteered for the 2003-2005 VIP campaigns and served on the 2014 Passage to India Sponsorship Committee. He serves on the Membership and Marketing Committee at the Creve Coeur Club and currently chairs the Activities Committee. As a Rotarian with Peoria Rotary-North, he has served on the Membership Committee and volunteered for Tee It Up For the Troops and numerous other community service functions.

As a member of the Rock River Valley Tooling and Machining Association, Gruber helped organize events to promote the manufacturing sector, and from 2004 to 2006, he mentored a “little brother” for the Heart of Illinois Big Brothers and Big Sisters. He is also a 2013 Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce Community Leadership School Graduate and volunteer for the Moss-Bradley Residential Association.

Converse Manor formerly Easton Manor

November 26, 2014 / Comments Off / Posted in: Converse Manor, December Newsletter 2014

Originally called Hillcrest Manor and Easton Manor, the home was built in 1881 by Edward S. Easton and his wife Sarah, two of Peoria’s most prominent citizens, as their primary residence. Edward, like his father and grandfather before him, made his fortune in the grain business.

The home was designed by a Swedish architect, and built in the Victorian style with Second Empire elements, most notably the mansard roofline, which extends from the top level of the house to down around the upper-story windows. The home incorporates European architectural elements the Eastons admired during their extensive travels abroad, including floor tiles from England, ceiling fresco paintings (which were unfortunately painted over long ago), and delicate adornments using ebony, marble and etched glass. The original ballroom chandelier now hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

The home was owned by many individuals including Col. John Comstock, a prominent Peoria Realtor, who purchased the mansion after Edward Easton’s death around 1901. After the Comstocks left in the 1960s, the home was abandoned for years and ultimately slated for demolition. Three times the Peoria City Council gave the owner’s permission to tear it down and construct a high-rise apartment building in its place. Three times the project fell through due to protests by preservationists who ultimately had it placed on the National Registry of Historic Places.

The building was then abandoned and fell into a state of disrepair. It was briefly owned by Dan and Vivian Capps, historic preservationists who began the restoration process. They searched local antique shops, finding some of the original brass work and door hinges in antique shops and returning those to the home.

In 1997, Jane Converse purchased the home for her growing business — preferring to save a beautiful historic landmark rather than build something new. It was a labor of love. Continuing the work started by the Capps, she embarked on a major renovation project and hired Les Kenyon to be the restoration architect, Cullinan Properties to provide construction management services, and Kevin Schoemaker of Hine Construction to be the master carpenter.

The December Book Review

November 26, 2014 / Comments Off / Posted in: Book Reviews, December Newsletter 2014

Submitted by Bonnie Mason

I am delighted to be writing this article again – I got sidetracked, as it were, for a year or so until my thoughtful neighbor suggested I write again and I agreed… Thank you!

I do love a good book that exist somewhat under the radar, Best Sellers you can find in the New York Times… One of my favorite reviews was the water color chickens book with an intro by Prince Charles – who knew he was a chicken aficionado!

Christmas gift ideas abound! My grandmother, who built 1505 W. Columbia Terrace in the Uplands, taught me to do all sorts of rather elegant handwork. My mother taught me to sew when I was seven, so my appreciation of Fashion: A History from the 18th Century to the 20th Century, compiled by Taschen, may be greater than most. The collection of garments pictured is honestly breathtaking when the work involved is in creating them is taken into consideration – clothing as genuine works of art. This is a collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute, the text is a rich history of fashion over the past three centuries – don’t miss this book! Hardcover, $19.98, a gorgeous volume.

National Geographic has published a book entitled The Big Idea: How Breakthroughs of the Past Shape the Future. A fascinating analysis of 24 Big Ideas of today and tomorrow and the trail of big ideas through history (from the present to 3,500 BC) that led to them. “Looking backward at giant leaps forward” a reverse chronology is listed on eight pages at the back of the book showing how big ideas interact, build on each other, bounce off each other, and influence each other through history. “A one of a kind volume that will thrill science and technology junkies of every age and give whole new meaning to the phrase “back to the future”. Paperback, the book sells for $12.98!

Gus & Me Book Of course, my final suggestion and my absolute favorite find of the year is Gus & Me. Written by Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, this is a charming, charming picture book full of love. It is the story of Keith’s relationship with his grandfather, Gus, who introduced him to music. So beautifully and simply illustrated by the Richards’ daughter, Theodora, (named after Gus) it is a must read. If you don’t feel like reading it there is a CD in the back – Keith will read it to you. I am in complete awe of the fact that Keith Richards is a devoted family man living in Connecticut, father of five children with five grandchildren, still married to Patti after all these years – Hardcover, published by Hanchette Book Group, Inc. the book sells for $18.00. A perfect choice for everyone!

I am really happy to be writing for you again. Thank you! Be good to each other, read, give books and enjoy the holidays! Merry Christmas!

The President’s Message

November 3, 2014 / Comments Off / Posted in: November Newsletter 2014, The President's Message

Communication.

The secret of success in any large organization is good communication. Associations like ours is no different. Organizations that have good means of communicating usually end up with a more informed and happier membership.

The means of communication available to us are include our monthly newsletters, our annual meeting, monthly membership meetings, the MBRA website – mossbradley.org, and informational e-mails. We use these resources regularly to communicate with each other and deliver content and information that we believe is relevant and important.

Some of what we communicate to you is general in nature and is not overly time-sensitive. We typically convey that information through our membership meetings and monthly newsletter. Time-sensitive information is distributed through email. We do so as it is today’s ideal way of reaching people who are difficult to otherwise reach.

Some recent examples of time sensitive communications include the quickly-called special membership meeting regarding the Washington School RFP process and updates on the progress of the Westminster signage issue.

Are these items unfamiliar to you??

For our communication to be effective we need to have as complete a system as possible so that we are communicating with as many of our MBRA members as possible. Many of you have provided us with your contact information with the renewal of your annual membership. However, our list of detail is still incomplete for others of you.

I ask those of you who have not supplied us with your email addresses to consider doing so. Your email address will not be shared with anyone and will be used to communicate MBRA -related subject matter.

Providing us your email is a simple process by emailing mossbradleynews@gmail.com. In doing so, please provide us your name, address, phone number and of course, email address.

Brian

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