Manhattan Receives $10,000 JADA Grant, Approves Patriotic Route 52 Decorations

Village of Manhattan Board of Trustees Meeting | April 7, 2026

Article Summary: The Joliet Arsenal Development Authority presented the Village of Manhattan with a $10,000 check to promote local tourism, which the board utilized to fund semi-quincentennial banners and lighted street decorations.

Route 52 Decorations Key Points:

• JADA awarded the village a $10,000 grant to kickstart tourism and celebrate the upcoming Route 66 centennial.

• The Village Board subsequently approved spending $5,990.40 of those grant funds on patriotic decorations for Route 52.

• Ace Endeavors will provide patriotic banners for $1,740, and Mosca Design will supply “Falling Star” lighted pole decorations for $4,250.40.

The Manhattan Village Board on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, officially accepted a $10,000 economic development grant from the Joliet Arsenal Development Authority (JADA) before immediately putting a portion of the funds to use for a new patriotic streetscape project.

Tim Brophy, Chairman of JADA, attended the meeting alongside Director Rick Wazneski to present the check. The funding is part of a regional initiative to promote tourism tied to the upcoming 100th anniversary of Route 66 and the ongoing redevelopment of the former Joliet Arsenal lands.

“What we want to do is present this check… so that you can kick off the summer of tourism that we hope will expand to Manhattan, and people [can] enjoy the things that we all know about Manhattan that are cool and the rest of the world should find out too,” Brophy told the board after presenting a short historical video on the region.

Later in the meeting, the board unanimously approved a resolution to utilize $5,990.40 of the JADA grant to purchase pole-mounted lighted decorations and patriotic banners. The decorations will be installed along Route 52, spanning from Foxford Drive to Anna McDonald School.

According to Public Works Superintendent John Tyk’s memo in the agenda packet, the layout will feature alternating installations along 14 black premium poles between Sharp Drive and Foxford Drive. Every other pole will feature a lighted “Falling Star” decoration from Mosca Design, with the remaining poles sporting patriotic banners from Ace Endeavors. Additionally, nine existing ComEd utility poles between Sharp Drive and the school will be outfitted with banners celebrating the United States’ semi-quincentennial (250th anniversary).

The specific costs include $4,250.40 for seven “Falling Star” LED displays (which included a volume discount) and $1,740 for the premium and non-premium banners.

The village plans to display the new decorations seasonally during key patriotic observances, specifically Memorial Day, Independence Day, and September 11th.