20 years out: The forecast for Edwardsville remains favorable

 

By MELISSA CROCKETT MESKE
[email protected]

Edwardsville Mayor Art Risavy welcomed a near-capacity room of roughly 250 attendees to the LeClaire Room at Lewis and Clark Community College’s N.O. Nelson campus on the morning of March 5 for the City’s annual Business Forecast Breakfast. 

The mayor was joined by James Arnold, the City of Edwardsville’s Economic, Community Development and Grant coordinator, as those in attendance were invited to ponder, to “Envision Edwardsville 2044.”

Following Risavy’s welcoming remarks and noted city successes, Arnold shared a deeper dive into Edwardsville’s economic development progress. 

Among the data shared were dollar values in the city for construction from 2009 to present day. Of the 2023 total construction investment of $82,582,602, commercial construction equated to $58,831,166, over 70 percent. Single family homes, additions and remodels made up the rest of the total 2023 invested construction dollars.

New businesses coming to town last year were Firehouse Subs; Café Birdie; Brick + Bramble; Play It Again Sports; Cloud9 Cannabis; Reine; Ziena; Alibi Cookies; Sneaky’s; Kimo Smoke, Tobacco & Vape; State Senator Erica Harriss’s district office; Clementine’s Creamery; The X’Perience Lounge; Kimchi Guys; Nothing Bundt Cakes; Drunken Fish; an expansion to Goshen Coffee; Moe’s Southwest Grill; Bronze Tan; Lochmueller Group Inc.; Opel Bash Group; Hi-Pointe Drive-In; Fusion Taco; Urban Collective Boutique Hotel; Mio Osteria; Charlie Rae; Koenig’s Kountry Market; Revity Credit Union; Mitchell Highlander LLC; Petaled Pail and Company; 360 Infusions; and an expansion at The Cup.

In 2024, Edwardsville has so far welcomed Homestead Financial; a Tesla Supercharger Station; Spoonful Korean Dessert Café; Sauce on the Side calzones; and Golf Discount. On the residential side, Edwardsville’s citizens enjoy life at The Pfarm and City Walk. And, of course, Trace on the Parkway continues to grow both residentially and commercially. There’s also developments of The Station on Main and The Albert underway.

Businesses that have relocated within the City of Edwardsville in this past year and to date: Revive Chiropractic; Bank of Madison County; Edwardsville Bank; and Rozell Spine & Sport: Chiropractic & Physical Therapy. Other relocations for 2024: Bank of Hillsboro; Artisan 222 Bakery & Café; and Great Clips.

“New & Notable” businesses highlighted were Spotlight Edwardsville 2023 recipients GC Cuisine & Crystal Garden Banquet & Event Center; Restore Décor; Runwell; Glen-Ed Pantry; and Pantera’s Pizza. Individual recipients of the Excellence in Edwardsville awards were also recognized.

In defining Edwardsville as a destination, the City is utilizing wayfinding signage throughout Edwardsville to help highlight places to see and things to do. This city signage will feature scannable QR codes to tell visitors about where they are and where else they might want to visit as a part of their “Destination Edwardsville” experience.

Other destinations for townies and visitors alike: Edwardsville’s Route 66 Monument and the SIUE Mural, both iconic spots for those special selfies. There’s also the Goshen Market, the West End Service Station, the Children’s Museum and Lewis & Clark’s N.O. Nelson Campus on the highlighted list of destinations during the breakfast gathering. 

Edwardsville will host its annual Route 66 Festival Finale at the N.O. Nelson Campus on Sunday, June 9. The event will showcase the local history-making story of the Mississippi River Festival. “When the Stars Came Out” has been written and published by Mark Pierce, with Lyle Ward and Jack Twesten, and shares the tales and details of MRF from its 1976 beginnings through the memories that still linger today.

For all the ways to find your fun via Destination Edwardsville, visit online at https://www.riversandroutes.com/cities-towns/visit-edwardsville/things-to-do.

Several infrastructure and school district-related projects were also noted. A mobile DMV service is now available periodically at Edwardsville Public Library, with Opera Edwardsville and the new East Fire Station also spotlighted. It was further announced that Edwardsville Arts Center’s new home would be within the former Montclaire Fire Station for the next two years.

The Edwardsville Enhancement Plan and its updates were presented, including greenspace projects at Benton and at Governors’ Parkway & Gerber. Also noted were plans for continued development of Park North, Plummer Family Park Phase 2, the SIUE Health Science Complex, and the return of The Land of Goshen Community Market each Saturday morning of the season from 8 a.m. to 12 noon in downtown Edwardsville beginning May 11.

Anticipated businesses for 2024: SoCal Soul Plants & Gifts; Go Yoga! Express; Plaid Coffee; AQ Nail Bar; Carrollton Bank Drive-Thru; Sav-On Liquor; BJC Expansion; EXO; Raising Cane’s; Christian Brothers Automotive; Backstage Bar & Patio; and WINGZONE.

The keynote speaker was Andy Struckoff, president of PGAV Planners LLC, the firm hired to help the city complete updates to its comprehensive plan. Struckoff, accompanied by PGAV’s Cristen Hardin, explained what the comprehensive plan entails, the process for its development and updates, and what the relationship was between Edwardsville’s economic development and the plan. 

To learn more, visit online at https://www.EnvisionEdwardsville.com/.

The breakfast gathering wrapped up with the presentation of awards for 2023’s Large Business of the Year, Small Business of the Year, and Nonprofit Business of the Year.

Prairie Farms was recognized as the 2023 Large Business of the Year. The award for Small Business of the Year went to Artisan 222 Bakery & Café. 2023’s Nonprofit Business of the Year was Restore Décor.

(Editor’s note: This story also appears in the April 2024 print edition of the Illinois Business Journal.)

All photos by Melissa Crockett Meske/Illinois Business Journal