Galesburg, Illinois
County: Knox County
Population: 31,000 (ACS, 2005-2009) Educational Institutions: Knox College (four year, private liberal arts college with approximately 1,400 undergraduate students) Economic/community development organizations: Galesburg Chamber of Commerce, Galesburg Regional Economic Development Association, Galesburg Downtown Council, Galesburg Area Convention & Visitors Bureau |
Demographics & Industry
Galesburg is predominantly white and the population is concentrated around those in their middle age Galesburg is trending the nation in educational attainment. A substantial number of households live on less than $20,000. Galesburg is a regional employment center with several educational institutions (Knox College, Carl Sandburg Community College), rail, and manufacturing. Galesburg’s major employers include the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (1,115 employees), the OSF St. Mary Medical Center (973 employees) and Galesburg Cottage Hospital (500 employees). Galesburg is able to offer a range of specialized medical services not located in other communities of smaller size, including a Level II Trauma center, cancer treatment and mental health facilities (GREDA, 2011). Assets Rail hub/Amtrak:Galesburg has an Amtrak station that connects it to major state centers like Chicago. Half of Galesburg’s Amtrak trains are federally funded, giving it access to a wider market for employers and employees. In 2011, more than 100,000 passengers boarded an Amtrak train in Galesburg, making it the 4th highest stop of the state’s 29 Amtrak stops outside of Chicago (Pulliam, 2011). Institutional presence: Galesburg is the home of both Knox College and the Henry C. Hill Correctional Center, which combined provide jobs for 700 people. Galesburg is also the county seat for Knox County which gives it the advantage of housing a multitude of government services. Quality of life: Galesburg has the population density to support a multitude of entertainment venues, specialized services and major franchise retail such as Wal-Mart and Menards. Part of the City’s strategy has been to pair traditional retail with specialty retail. For example, the city has both Seminary Square – with traditional “big box” retail stores – and Seminary Street – with non-traditional boutique stores. Cesar Suarez, Economic Development Director for Galesburg and Todd Thompson, City Manager, speculate that this appeals to shoppers because it allows them to get all of their shopping done in one location (Suarez and Thompson, 2011). Strategy Seminary Street: Seminary Street is the culmination of decades of Main Street programming and private-led investment. A handful of entrepreneurs banded together to acquire most of the buildings on the street in order to reinvent the district (Suarez and Thompson, 2011). Historic preservation has been the order of business for years and the return on investment is obvious: Seminary Street is known for its quaint, well-preserved architectural and cultural heritage as well as its award-winning restaurants and businesses. |
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