Streator seeks grant for Incubator renovations

The city of Streator is seeking grant money to make renovations at the Streator Business Incubator and Activity Center.

Along with renovating the space in the kitchen, the renovations would include the addition of a food packaging area, 3-D printer, plastics shop, metal shop and wood shop, along with repaving of the parking lot, said City Engineer Jeremy Palm.

If the city were successful in receiving grant funds from the Economic Development Association, it would have to supply matching funds, depending on the amount awarded.

City Manager David Plyman said a study was conducted about a year ago at the Incubator by the University of Illinois to determine which spaces needed to be renovated to accommodate entrepreneurs and developing businesses.

Plyman said he has shared the possibility of cooperating more with Illinois Valley Community College for Incubator projects, but he said it is only in the idea stage at this point.

The city owns the Incubator, which was the former Armory, 401 W. Bridge St. The city leases the property to the Streator Community Development Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity that conducts fundraising to maintain the building, and oversees its secondary use as a community center. About half of the Streator Incubator’s 23,000 square feet is leased to small business start-up companies. It also hosts the Illinois Small Business Development Center at Starved Rock Country (SBDC) every Thursday when it hosts office hours.