Within a few blocks of each other, both public and private landowners are doing their part to support community reinvestment, working with architects and contractors to find creative, sensible ways to evolve and age in place. The Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar, Springfield School District 186 and entrepreneurs Court and Karen Conn are […]
Catherine O’Connor
Catherine O'Connor has held administrative, communications, education and advocacy roles in state government, regional and national organizations including the State’s Historic Preservation Agency, National Alliance of Preservation Commissions, American Institute of Architects Illinois, Benedictine University, The Nature Conservancy’s Emiquon Corps of Discovery and Friends of the Sangamon Valley. Her work focuses on exploring social and cultural context, making our history and environment more accessible and relevant through storytelling.
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Illinois legislature makes efforts for the environment
A pair of Senate bills that aim to reduce plastic use in hotels and require waste recycling for event facilities have passed the Illinois legislature and are now awaiting the governor’s signature. Senate Bill 2960, introduced by Sen. Laura Fine, D-Glenview, takes aim at the overwhelming global issue of plastic pollution by prohibiting single-use toiletries […]
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Springfield-area native wants to redesign global supply chain logistics
Matt Salefski, an entrepreneur who grew up in the Springfield area, recently launched Rectangle, a freight cargo logistics communications company. He reached out to Illini Angels as part of his quest for early-stage venture capital. “When you look around your home, or at store shelves, probably everything you see moved through a global supply chain […]
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Merch madness
Thanks to ingenuity and fortunate timing, Campus Ink has become a sensational example of small business expansion, with the assistance of Illini Angels investment capital. Founder Steven Farag isn’t a coach, player or official, but he and his team logged many miles on the road to the Final Four. When rules changed in 2021, allowing […]
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Angels among us
While working on building a new home in downtown Springfield, University of Illinois Springfield’s business incubator is rolling out some new, innovative programs to expand its resources and services, highlighting access to expertise and sources of startup venture capital for entrepreneurs. Innovate Springfield, which currently offers its members support such as office space, business planning, market […]
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That empty feeling: Can vacant office space downtown be transformed into residential dwellings?
The paradox of America’s deserted downtowns and the affordable housing crisis has been reported on by well-known media outlets such as PBS, CNN, The New York Times and Slate magazine. One potential solution to this problem is to convert vacant commercial space into residential housing. Although this potential solution comes with many barriers, it’s not […]
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Notable engineering and construction projects of 2023
Engineering the future: moving Springfield forward The work of Moving Pillsbury Forward, the nonprofit created to take ownership of the former Pillsbury flour mill complex at 1525 E Phillips St., is to prepare for environmental cleanup and future redevelopment and is key to the story of the biggest engineering project in Springfield, spanning more than […]
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Notable Springfield renovation projects
By Catherine O’Connor According to plan: Multiyear state Capitol effort wins excellence award Architect Avi Lothan of Lothan Van Hook DeStefano Architecture in Chicago has been the principal in charge of the Illinois State Capitol Complex Master Plan, a comprehensive effort begun in 2007-2008 to provide a vision of sustainable design objectives that guide future […]
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Many downtown redevelopment projects in the works
There is plenty of vacant, multistory space available in Springfield’s downtown and a program that utilizes tax increment financing (TIF) to reimburse owners for a portion of the cost to acquire property, stabilize buildings, redesign and renovate interiors and upgrade exteriors. But developers are experiencing a shortage of contractors available to undertake small and midsize […]
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Notable new construction and remodeling projects
By Catherine O’Connor Hindu temples bring imported spiritual design A new home for The Hindu Temple of Greater Springfield has been erected at 1001 W. Walnut St. in Chatham. An architect from Vastu Consultants in Chennai, India, worked with Rangwala Architects from St. Louis to design and build the concrete Fox Blocks pre-cast building that […]
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Serving and improving Springfield’s business community
By Catherine O’Connor Springfield lost two community-minded entrepreneurial giants, Louis Myers and Arnold Stern, within the first week of September 2020. Though Stern and Myers were three years apart in age, they were lifelong friends who had much in common, beginning with primary education at Butler Elementary School followed by graduation from Springfield High School, […]
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Motorcycle racing grows from rural sport to big business
BY CATHERINE O’CONNOR The Illinois State Fairgrounds track, which is historically known for setting the world’s fastest flat track records, hosts two of the 18 events comprising the National Championship American Flat Track pro-racing circuit. The Springfield Mile 1 is held on Memorial Day weekend, with Springfield Mile 2 taking place over Labor Day weekend. […]