Shimer Square: $1.5 Million Rebuild Illinois grant contract awarded; work begins

MOUNT CARROLL — Expect to see some construction activity beginning at Shimer Square as Rock Island Economic Growth Corporation, doing business as Economic Growth Corporation (GROWTH), awarded its Rebuild Illinois grant contract on Nov. 4.

The Rebuild Illinois grant was publicly bid out in two separate contracts: construction and abatement. The construction contract was awarded to Galena Repair & Maintenance and the abatement contract was awarded to the IITI Group.

Abatement will first begin in the interior of the Sawyer House and once the site has been fully abated and cleared, construction work will begin. Timing of any visible construction work will likely occur in early 2023, weather permitting.

“GROWTH has been diligently working behind the scenes for years to secure all of what the community is about to visibly see within the Shimer Square campus. Once trucks start pulling up, mark that as a huge pendulum swing with major construction activity following right behind it,” said Brian Hollenback, President/CEO. “Shimer Square’s redevelopment has attracted millions in federal and state resources. We have a lot of support and momentum. Look for big things happening in 2023.”

GROWTH was one of 11 projects funded by the Regional Economic Development (RIRED) component of the Rebuild Illinois grant by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (IL DCEO). The objective of the Regional Economic Development component, in keeping with the Governor’s 5-year Economic Development plan, is to provide grants to strengthen local economies and encourage the development of regional industry clusters.

Plans originally incorporated Rebuild Illinois funds into its first phase of construction efforts, but after careful review and input by IL DCEO, Rebuild Illinois funds were carved out into its own phase considered “Shimer Square Phase 1A.”

Phase 1A lays the groundwork for the larger Phase 1 and Phase 2 redevelopment efforts, specifically addressing the general rehabilitation to the Sawyer House, parking lot and sidewalk replacements, and masonry repairs to the main entrance gate.

GROWTH will utilize the Sawyer House to provide financial literacy services to individuals to help advance wealth building opportunities for those that live, work, or visit Shimer Square by providingvital community services including financial literacy, housing counseling, business resources through CDFI (Community Development Financial Institution) lending resources that result in new businesses opening within the Shimer Square campus and beyond.

Activity is already starting on the campus, as Growth General Contracting, LLC has coordinated the demolition of the dilapidated maintenance building on campus that occurred on Nov. 7. The demolition was carefully coordinated to maintain and preserve as many of the bricks to reuse in redevelopment efforts on other buildings, a press release said.

For more information, visit www.ShimerSquare.comand www.EconomicGrowthCorporation.com.