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Building Entrepreneurial Communities

Strategies for Strengthening Local Economies

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Bring life to empty downtown buildings

I’ve noticed that many of our rural Illinois communities have a vacant or derelict building in the heart of their downtown or on main street. While the missed opportunities of a property sitting vacant seem basic, the concept is complicated. Intent, code, statute, and insurance classification may...
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Perfect storm crashes Texas power grid; Can it happen here?

The massive mid-February 2021 winter storm brought dangerous cold, snow and ice to a large portion of the country. The effects were felt from southeast Texas to northern Ohio as the storm lifted from the Gulf Coast to the Ohio Valley. “This brutal winter weather, and our ability to withstand it,...
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Streator Incubator Feasibility Study

Streator is a forward thinking city. Successful incubation programs operate like the businesses they help launch, whether they’re located in rural areas or more urban areas. When budgets are tight, best practice programs identify efficiencies to conserve scarce resources. But they also develop new...
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Blog Authors
Zachary Kennedy

Zachary Kennedy

Extension State Specialist, Community and Economic Development
Anne Silvis

Anne Silvis

Assistant Dean, Community and Economic Development
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