Some highlights from 2023

2023 brought a number of new businesses.  Barton Design and Backyard Blooms moved into remodeled former GRG garage building. A new State Farm Insurance office opened in what was the showroom of the old Chevy dealership. On Rutsen Street the Sorrel and Rye Mercantile replaced The Briar Patch, which closed in the Spring.  A new coffee ship, Cup of Joy, replace the Willow Switch, which closed in August, and Earth Magic replaced the Little Coffee Shop on 231, which closed in May. NuBloom Naturals opened in June and closed two or three months later. A new co-working place, The Other Place, opened in part of the former REMC building and the other part, called Top Link, is being rented for regular offices and businesses. The first occupant is First Hometown Mortgages. Another small gift shop, Simply Blessed, opened in the front of the Chamberlin Building. A new restaurant, Not Your Typical Wingz, opened next to Mt. Hood Pizza.

Walters Auto Electric closed when its owner retired. P&P Hobbies, which opened last year,  closed this year because another business operating in the building, DeerWood Group, wanted to expand. Evans, Finney, and Taylor Eye Care moved into the former Jordan Floral Building and Dollar Tree moved in the former Walgreen's Building.

A lot of construction involved City projects. The new lift station on Lincoln Street was finished and the old lift station demolished. Sewer lines were extended on Owen Street and John Deere Road. Lead water lines were replaced near the downtown. Part of College was closed for several weeks as a storm sewer was replaced, new sidewalks were installed, and the street repaved. The gas regulator that serves most of the City was replaced. The last two engines at the power plant were removed, one for scrap and the other sent to Canada. Construction of a new water tower to serve the new west end of Rensselaer started. The Fire Department was awared a new fire tower for its training facility.  A new shelter house in Filson Park was completed. 

After a couple years of planning, the County took over EMS services for the Rensselaer area and constructed a new EMS building across the highway from the Fairgrounds. The Fairgrounds got a new horse barn. Contentious issues at the County level were a plan by BP to sequester carbon in Jasper and surrounding counties and a proposed solar farm in Walker Township. 

The City held elections and the City govenment has and will have several new faces. Zyan Miller defeated long-time councilman George Cover in the May primary but in the November election she was narrowly defeated by Jeff Rayburn. Bill Hollerman resigned mid-year and was replaced by Kevin Armold. And in the November election former Police Chief Jeff Philllips defeated Mayor Steven Wood.

The City grew in 2023. It annexed what remains of the SJC properties south of town.

Mural week in July saw several new murals as well as the overpainting of several old ones. The beautiful mural on the back of the Horton-Yallally Building was peeling and it was replaced by another spectacular painting. The Octopus on the Anders' Water Conditioning was replaced with an abstract flower design. The Bird on the back of emBers was replaced with a scooter and the flamingo on the Rensselaer Republican building was replaced by a dragon. The back of City Hall got an abstract mural, the side of the Rensselaer Republican building a couple of birds, and behind Markit Arts there is now a tree with fish. Mural week ended with a mural contest that was very interesting and hopefully the first of many.

Finally, White Castle will be expanding on the east side of Rensselaer. Demolition of the old Soesbe Building began in December.

(I am sure I forgot some things that should be included. You can add them in the comments.)